Mast & Meh: Horlicks, Google, Housing, Dhara, DaMENSCH and more

MAST

Google Voice Assistant

Agency: Toaster

Four incredible women ooze swag and spirit in Google’s #BolneSeSabHoga campaign that focuses on how Google’s voice assistant is helping people discover their passions through the power of the internet. This series of four spots captures the inspiring journey of climate advocate Prachi Shevgaonkar, Indian Kpop artist Sriya Lenka, bodybuilder and fitness coach Kiran Dembla and boxing champion Nikhat Zareen, who have broken stereotypes and social norms to achieve success in their chosen fields. Top notch writing makes the campaign punchy and not preachy. It’s inspiring while also keeping the product (voice assistant) right in the centre through all the storytelling. The campaign is a shoo-in for Mast this week.

MEH

Lux Venus

Agency: Shreyansh Innovations

The new Lux Venus spot is bound to get noticed for its bizarre quotient. To pull it off, the brand roped in Salman Khan who is seen chasing his Lux Venus vest through the busy streets of a city amidst heavy traffic and pedestrians, finally managing to grab onto it. At this point, it leaves us wondering whether the ad is inspired by Thums Up commercials? (Khan used to endorse Thums Up before he switched over to rival Pepsi.) The ad ends with ‘Sabko Maangta Hai’. We gave it a Meh but we can almost hear all the whistling and cheering for Khan’s stuntman’s stunts.

MAST

Dhara Edible Oils

Agency: DDB Mudra North

It’s often said that a lot happens over a cup of coffee (or tea) but a lot happens over food too. Dhara’s new campaign titled #KhaanePeKehna proves just that. In sync with their overall brand proposition of ‘Zara Sa Badlaav’, Dhara is promoting the idea of mealtime conversations. The ad features a family of three that includes a teenage daughter. While the father is curious to check the daughter’s phone in her absence, the mother explains how parents can stay updated about their children’s lives by simply having a conversation with them. This TVC leads the brand’s month-long campaign conceptualised by Dhara Edible Oils and executed by DDB Mudra North along with Wavemaker. A simple script that discusses a very relevant topic through a beautiful narrative is what makes this spot a good one to watch.

MEH

Khadim

Agency: Digitale

Full marks for getting content creators on board for a campaign. But the concept and writing should’ve also been left to them. Popular Bengali YouTubers Kiran Dutta (The Bong Guy) and Indrani Biswas (Wonder Munna) are the faces of this new Durga Puja campaign that leaves no impact on the viewers. Set against the backdrop of Durga Puja shopping season, the film highlights how Khadim is focusing on a refreshed in-store experience, affordable pricing and the fashion factor. But there’s nothing fashionable about this spot. Still, the shoe must go on.

MAST

Housing.com - Parr...se Perfect

Agency: McCann Worldgroup

The brand and agency seem to have a knack for understanding consumers’ sentiments and emotions and it’s evident in their recent ad campaign. Be it the seeds of doubt being planted in the mind of a wife, or a ‘no party but duty’ state of affairs for two bachelors. Be it the worry of ‘saasu maa’ dropping by in less than 20 minutes or the pressure of being stereotypically ‘fit’ amongst an uber fit crowd. Housing manages to infuse humour in a subtle manner in such situations that are realistic for the ones who can relate. Everything from the casting to the writing is ace and keeps the brand and proposition at the center of it all. Advertising at its best. This campaign successfully scores a Mast.

MEH

Hamdard Laboratories - ‘Safi Har Ghar ka Skin Specialist’.

Agency: Dentsu

The commercial tries hard to captivate the audience but unfortunately the hard work doesn’t quite pay off. As the commercial rolls on, everything, right from Kriti Sanon’s entry to her conversation with her real life sister Nupur, every frame and the emotions associated with it look forced and don’t flow naturally to deliver the core message of ‘Hamdard Safi’. Nupur’s worry of having pimples on her face, Kriti introducing the ‘in-house skin specialist’ Hamdard Safi and the exaggeration, ’Pimples, Oh my goodness! Please help me’, while they worked in tandem, it didn't really work for us. Perhaps a different angle and a better storyline could have prevented a Meh.

MAST

DaMENSCH

Agency - Talented X Dot Dot Boom Films

This is perhaps one of those ads that only people in advertising get. But this one also takes it up several notches with a Christopher Nolan reference. Was it meant for the marketing and ad crowd? Is it a case of the marketer in love with her or his idea? Do most consumers of the brand have an appetite for this Inception-esque ad? We don’t have the answers right now. But we did enjoy watching it.

MAST

Horlicks India

Set in a typical Tamilian household and against a sweet background score that sets the mood, this film hits all the right notes. A young boy sees his mother’s old police uniform and decides to wash and dry it. His mother wonders what he is up to. The boy then reminds her that she always said she'd go back to work once he grew up. He then asks her to look at the shirts that are drying next to each other and tells her that he is grown up enough to take care of himself. The film could have been slightly shorter but it’s sweet and on brand, and that makes it a Mast watch.