the Thinker

What is the one thing that irks us when they suddenly barge on our TV sets, interrupting our favorite show, serial, movie, etc? Commercials!! Nowadays, it looks like, some kind of an ad-invasion is on its way.

Advertisements come in all shapes, sizes and mediums. If you are wondering what I am blabbering about, just check out that irritating pop-up box that jumps up like a “jack in the box,” offering you home loan, car loan or some other product on the internet. It will occupy a significant amount of our computer's screen space, thereby obstructing our view, just when we are about to visit our favorite link or are on our way to our mailbox.

Even when one is listening to FM radio, there is no respite from them. Here the medium is different. More of them are jingles and funny conversations to attract listeners’ attention.

As far as advertisements in TV are concerned, you can love them, hate them; but there is no way you can ignore them. They are ‘in-between’ every show. Even when we are glued to our TV sets to watch the last over of a crucial match between India-Sri Lanka; all of a sudden we will see some cola advertisement booming on our TV sets.

But when one sits back and takes a look at these ads that keep buzzing on our TV screens 24/7, one could easily classify them into categories that are reserved for films generally. I do not know how many of you share my view-point, but most of the dramatic elements are present in ads. In miniature, they represent our popular cinema culture. For my own convenience and merriment, I will classify certain ads in specific categories.

Emotional genre:

An ideal example is the recent Times of India advertisement, where an old grandfather celebrates the selection of his grandson in the hockey team. He cherishes the news on the paper that his grandson has been successful, where he failed.

One could even cite the recent Western Union ad, where the father is unable to hear his son, who is calling from overseas, as his (the father’s) hearing aid does not function properly.

Comedy genre:

This genre seems to be very popular in movies as well as ads. I do not remember the company, but it was some paints advertisement. A man appreciates his neighbour for a new house, new car…and a new wife.

Most of the baby ads (diaper and stuff). Well, some of them fall in the emotional genre as well, but it is a healthy mix. Then there is the Alpenlebie ad, where a kid colours himself in different colours on the occasion of Holi, to extract money from not only his father, but also other people.

Musicals: I do not know how many of you remember that ad, which glorified ‘milk’ more than any other ad. The jingle went on like- “Doodh, doodh …doodh hai wonderful, pee sakte hai roz glassful.”

Another dairy company, Amul’s jingle, almost sounded like an anthem. It went on like-“Amul, the taste of India…”

Sensuous genre:

Most of the contraceptive advertisements-a liberal dose of sex and sensuality comes to the foreplay with them.

Some of the deodorant ads use this funda to attract people. And of course, who can forget that famous Denim advertisement, where a woman opens the buttons of a man’s shirt. Then he suddenly stops her.

Romantic genre:

Again, just like films, this is another popular genre in advertisements. However, love is more a commodity in the world of commercials. You have boys falling for girls who use Fair and Lovely or some other bleaching product.

There is another ad of some car company, I do not remember the exact name. In that ad- you have this handsome guy taking his girlfriend for a ride and laying out a candlelight dinner for her. A romantic song being played in the background, just acts as a sweetener.

Fairytale genre:

There are ads in this genre as well, mostly playing on the love for fantasy and escapist attitude of people. There is one recent Maruti Swift ad, where Cinderella runs away with the guy driving a Swift car.

There is one advertisement in the recent times of ‘Orra Diamonds,’ which comprises snippets of fairytales, there is nothing concrete in it.

Celebrity genre: The celebrity invasion in the ad-world in the recent times is unprecedented. One can contribute an entire category of ads to them. They are here, there and everywhere.

Among these ads, the ones, which I tend to remember till this date, are among the controversial ones. There was this Pepsi ad, which became a hot topic of discussion a few years back. In that ad, they showed a look-alike of Hrithik Roshan in a supposed demeaning fashion or something like that. SRK being the hero in the ad, it became a topic of feud between SRK and Hrithik Roshan fans. The most overblown topic I have ever read or heard of.

Then there was this recent ad by Lux, which featured SRK again. He was seen in midst of a bathtub, filled with rose petals. I have no idea, how much Hindustan Lever (the company which owns the Lux brand), benefited from the ad, but the ad became a hot topic of discussion, SRK’s sexual orientation being the focus.

The most silly ads, which celebrities indulge in are chaddi and banyan ads-the ones which mostly feature Govinda and his like.

Action genre: There are some of vehicle ads, motorbike ads which try to emphasise viewers through stunts. There is this recent Tata Safari ad, with a tagline-Reclaim your life. The car is seen somersaulting and jumping in the sand.

Some ads try to “caricature” action ads, that’s how I view them. One must have noticed those Sona-Chandi Chavanbrash ads, where Sunny Deol fights villains and defeats them, because he gets strength from Sona-Chandi.

Animation genre:

This genre is getting more and more prominent in recent times. Mostly ads dealing with kids use a generous dose of animation. For instance, there is this Sunfeast Cream biscutes ad, where SRK (again) takes a child for a joyride to an animated cream world. There are some baby soap ads, like that of Doy soap, where once again animated figures come to play. These are basically targeted at kids and the younger age group.

However, some of these ads appear like those play station samples. There are these advertisements showing animated mosquitoes and cockroaches who barge into a household, only to get exterminated by some mosquito or cockroach spray.

Straight genre:

These advertisements are like ‘label’ headlines in newspapers. Their job is to inform, without frills or thrills. In a newspaper, these headlines sound like this-‘Nepal on strike.’ Nothing more, nothing less. Its duty is to inform, without any drama.

Ads which are very short and mainly say, “Hurry offer ends till on so and so date,” are examples of straight ads.

Phew!! I guess I have exhausted my resources. I do not have to give a disclaimer, but still, being a journo, its in my blood. “All these are my personal views, without any relevance to any particular brand or product.”