Campaign Watch

For a risk-averse advertising industry such as ours, one that produces and reproduces the same formulas over and over again (we are all guilty of it, but oh well!) – we do also come by some gems that are truly what brand managers would call ‘clutter breaking’. Insight, execution, storytelling – a product or service gets such a fresh spin, it finds a place in your heart. Then, of course, there are some ads that leave you like Phoebe from Friends yelling “My eyes! My eyes!” So, walk with me through some recent local ads – some which had my beaten, clichéd ad-watching heart yelping with joy, while others made me heave a big ol’ sigh.

Brand: Maza

Agency: Wide Angle Films

Campaign: Maza Ka Chaunsa

Message: The only chaunsa juice you need

Effectiveness: Everyone making a Gen Z ad with neon lights and rap music, please take note. Fresh, current and beautifully local – this film nails the idea that there is only one reigning mango juice in the market – Maza. The campaign tagline is so perfectly woven in with the chorus, it can only create top-of-mind recall every time you look for chaunsa juice in a chiller. With pop culture references like Squid Game localised, it is sure to hit a chord with the new audience skew. Plus, no other brand has taken on all its mango juice competitors in one swift, witty go!

Verdict: Maza agya!

Brand: Pakistan Cricket Board

Agency: Conglo

Campaign: #BoysReadyHain

Message: Pakistan is ready for the Australia Tour of Pakistan

Effectiveness: Out with the glossy, glamour shots of cricket stars flexing their muscles and in with Pakistani fans bang at the centre. Nothing speaks of cricket fever more than this short film for Australia’s tour of Pakistan. The insight of mehman nawazi is so strikingly local that Pakistanis are sure to bend over backwards to ensure they are ready to host well. There is no way you didn’t chuckle and get hooked when the rickshaw driver spoke in an Australian accent – and that right there is the beauty of this creative’s genius. In an age when attention spans are less than that of a goldfish’s, you feel entertained with the whole thing until the end.

Verdict: Lovin' it, mate!

Brand: Pepsi Pakistan

Agency: Viral Edge

Campaign: Notice Kiya?

Message: New, stronger taste of Pepsi

Effectiveness: There is one thing Pepsi loves to do – use star power like no other brand. BUT this new format of short copies with insight driven by the product attribute uses stars to the brand’s advantage and not the other way around. The real star is still Pepsi and so is the key message they want to drive – the new stronger taste. The execution of the films featuring Young Stunners and Babar Azam is also apt: branding right at the beginning, getting to the premise straight away, storytelling with a twist and a swanky music score to go with it.

Verdict: It tastes strong, indeed!

Brand: 7UP

Agency: BBDO Pakistan

Campaign: Dil Ki Baat

Message: Express yourself with food and 7UP

Effectiveness: I can’t say this enough – I miss the old 7UP. What is going on? Not only is this reminiscent of Coca-Cola’s efforts to associate itself with meals, 7UP has lost the edge they achieved with the great work they did for food and 7UP. They traded the young and bold #ManaLoFoodKaLove with this sappy, emotional film. The focus has shifted from food and foodies to people bonding over food: mother and son, husband and wife, boyfriend and girlfriend – hence losing its unique POV and getting lost with Shan, Coca-Cola and Kashmir Cooking Oil.

Verdict: I miss the aloo/no aloo debate MUCH MORE.

Brand: Spotify Pakistan

Agency: BBDO Pakistan

Campaign: Jaisa Mood Waisi Dhun

Message: Listen to songs according to your mood with over 82 million songs

Effectiveness: I wanted to love these ads so much it hurts not to. Spotify is such a fantastic product and their communication in India is so on-point. A product the entire family (with their diverse tastes in music) can enjoy, thanks to Spotify’s wide library. So many global brands share a common strategy for India and Pakistan, yet the end result is so different in both countries. Spotify India too has a similar audience and positioning as Pakistan’s, yet their execution visualises the insight perfectly in India, while the same insight loses its meaning in the Pakistan shorties. The Young Stunners’ film started out strongly but soon became an old Pepsi ad where stars do cameos without real impact. I wish they used the idea of the younger and older generation enjoying Spotify more effectively, given that Gen Z would be the one inducing trial and driving decision in the household. What a missed opportunity.

Verdict: Feeling heartbroken and currently playing Phir Milenge.

Brand: Tabiyat.pk

Agency: In-house

Campaign: Pakistan Ki Sab Se Bari Pharmacy

Message: Pakistan’s biggest pharmacy is at your fingertips

Effectiveness: Clear, no fuss and to the point, Tabiyat.pk’s new ad does absolute justice to the brand. The product benefit is right in your face – convenience at your fingertips. What works in this ad is its simplicity. As the audience struggles to trust online services, especially for something like medicines, it sets up the problem in a way that people can relate to. Moreover, it also shows all other types of pharmacies as secondary compared to Tabiyat.pk, hence communicating their claim of being Pakistan’s biggest pharmacy.

Verdict: Tabiyat saaf hogai!

Mahaa Saeed is Associate Creative Director, Red Communications (Publicis Groupe).