Five recent ads that created a buzz
Ever since I stepped away from conventional advertising, there is a bit of initial guilt and hesitation when writing reviews like the one I am getting into. Does my opinion still matter? Do I still have what it takes to actually review an ad? Am I still an authority? But then I realise I now have a particular edge over this review business. I have the liberty of looking at ads with the scrutiny of someone who has ‘been there’ while also giving it the no-brainer ‘what you see is what you get’ laid back attention of a regular consumer. I don’t have the time to take a film apart because my day job doesn’t depend on it. And I feel like that is the perfect balance, because I can set aside the competitive pettiness (we all know it’s there) of being an ad person reviewing someone else’s work and can look at ads for what they are; good, bad, cringe worthy or effective.
BRAND: Nescafé
Campaign: Old School vs New Cool
Message: If you don’t drink coffee, you’re lame AF.
Effectiveness: Nescafé has its eye on the prize and it’s in it to win it. By prize I mean the majority of hot beverage drinkers in Pakistan: a majority that currently drinks chai; chai the enemy. So I won’t hesitate in admitting that this was a brave approach. And in 2017, if you are not going to go big, you may as well go home. Although the ad is effectively taking tea drinkers by the shoulders and making them acknowledge the existence of coffee as a legitimate pick me up, I wish it wasn’t at the cost of shaming chai drinkers. Of which I am one. Oh snap!
Verdict: Still drinking chai and sniffing coffee. Try again.
BRAND: Oreo