Adtech regulation a priority for Modi govt in third term: MoS Rajeev Chandrasekhar

Credibility of news and platforms are as important as monetisation challenges: Anurag Thakur

HUL: Meet the leaders who have emerged from "The CEO Factory"

Punit Goenka addresses Zee employees; ensures no layoffs due to failed merger

Disney's strategic sale to Viacom18 set to boost market share to 40 percent

The Leader's Edge: Storyboard18 in conversation with leaders, decision makers and disruptors

Nobody’s Perfect Retro Porsche Ad

In Conversation With Raja Rajamannar, Mastercard

Shahid Kapoor And Varun Ganjoo Speaks On PokerBaazi's Campaign

In conversation with IHCL’s Puneet Chhatwal & GroupM’s Kate Scott-Dawkins

Why are brands including e-sports in their sports marketing itinerary?

Storyboard18 x The English Nut: How to pronounce these 10 brand names

Experts' Take On Reinvention Of Ad Campaigns Through Technology

Experts Speak On Key Emerging Trends In Cannes Lions Entries

Leaders of the future have to be outstanding human beings: Nestle MD

In conversation with VMLY&R’s Hari Ramanathan

Header Menu

Latest News

Brand Makers

Gaming News

Brand Marketing

Media News

Special Coverage

Header Sub Menu

Digital Entertainment Summit

Delhi Literature Fest

Share the Spotlight

Global Pioneers Summit

Power of Purpose

The Visionaries

DNPA

About Us

Hamburger Menu

Quantum Brief

#FreeOurSkylines

Watch.Listen

Advertising

Agency News

Media

Interviews

“You and I, in this beautiful world.”

Pristine greenery, a boy spending his day visiting places, green fields and weathered buildings, with an energetic pug following him wherever he went. Most will immediately recognize the brand that used an unconventional approach to depict mobile telephone connectivity in a novel way.

<iframe title="hutch boy dog" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/r8ZC9uDg8Ik" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>

<strong>Hutch in India</strong>

Hutchison Max Telecom Ltd, started its India operations in 1994. Over the years Hutchison started expanding its operations. With telecom companies competing for a share in the Indian mobile market, Hutch wanted to show its superior connectivity. And around 2004, it decided to showcase this connectivity in its pan-Indian footprint with an ad film campaign.

<strong>Scripting a story</strong>

The advertising agency, Ogilvy, was given a very simple brief: tell a story that showed the span and connectivity of the network.

Mahesh V and Rajiv Rao, creative directors at Ogilvy, were thinking through various ideas. But they were sure of some things. Mahesh opined that they did not want to talk about technology, and also wanted to consciously avoid showing people talking on the phone.

After much deliberation, they imagined a little boy and his annoying little sister following him around. They further refined this stream of thought. Who better than a dog to follow the boy unwaveringly, and also simultaneously provide unconditional support!

And so they hit upon the core creative idea. “Wherever you go, our network follows”. A dog, representing the network, following a boy representing the consumer, wherever he went.

The idea was presented to Asim Ghosh, CEO, Hutchinson Max. Renuka Jaypal, who led the Ogilvy team on Hutch, recollects that after she gave an explanation about why this idea would work, Asim Ghosh had stared at her. So the boy would represent the millions of customers and the dog, the millions that the company has invested in India? he enquired. Giving his ‘go ahead’ for the film, he requested Renuka to leave the room before his courage left him.

<strong>The ad production</strong>

Vibrant green settings of Goa were the backdrop for the ad film. The boy was played by eight year old Jayaram and the dog who scampered behind him was Cheeka. Cheeka was really the third choice after the first choice (a fox terrier) and second choice (another pug) refused to budge!

Prakash Verma of Nirvana Films produced the TV commercial. The agency had stressed that a dog lover should be in charge of production. Sneha Iype and Mahesh wrote the simple and memorable lyrics, “You and I, in this beautiful world”. Roopak set the score and Suraj Jagran sang the song.

Piyush Pandey stood up after seeing the completed film, congratulating the creators on work well done.

<strong>The Outcome</strong>

The ad film was well received and a print version of the campaign soon followed. Cheeka gained recognition as the “Hutch dog”, and as the wallpaper most often downloaded by Hutch customers on their phone screens.

In fact, there was a rise in the popularity of pugs, in India, many more people taking pugs home. Cheeka remained in the brand advertising for some time even after Vodafone acquired Hutch.

This ad campaign remains memorable for its ingenuity. The ad film showed no technology nor talked directly about the phone network, yet effectively communicated the message of the reach of Hutch’s mobile network. It communicated a utilitarian promise (of network connectivity wherever you go), yet managed to build an emotional connect with the customers. The youthful playfulness of the boy, with the diligent, affable dog scampering behind him, struck a chord with the audience. The ad film was much like a snapshot of a day in the life of the boy and his faithful companion, the dog. It was storytelling par excellence.

HUTCH