Everybody and his uncle seem to love the new Vodaphone ads. I am referring to the series of ads with the zoozoos. You can’t miss them if you follow IPL. They are all over the place.
Being a cartoon lover myself, I enjoyed the hilarity of some of the commercials myself; even more considering the fact that they are not animation but actual people masquerading as cartoon characters. Shot apparently in South Africa, a lot of planning seems to have gone behind to achieve a new perfection in the films. Great show!
But the devil inside me has a doubt. While we love the films for what they are, do we remember what the films are for? Do we know what each of the different ads is trying to say? Here is the construct of a few films. Try and guess what the ad is trying to establish.
A zoozoo comes out of the trial room and screams at another one dressed alike
A zoozoo speaks something in the bottle and throws it at another
Four zoozoos walk on a street together listening to the radio
A zoozoo teasing a crocodile with a fish
Two zoozoos driving a car and crashing at an intersection
Two zoozoos in a restaurant and the girl zoozoo throwing stuff at the other
We know they are all Vodafone ads. But do you know what each of these ads is trying to say? More importantly, how many of us do you think would know what they are trying to say?
The ads are funny and entertaining, no doubt. But on them building awareness about the different value adds of Vodafone, I doubt!
14 comments:
Spot on! sir, I really doubt the same thing,building awareness is missing.Ad seems to be intellectual and targeted only urban customer.I believe some times more intellectualism leads to confusion among Indian consumer.why do Vodafone always trying to increase urban market rather than focusing on rural..?
Good post sir. I was informed that vodafone has shot 30 such commercials featuring the zoozoos. My understanding is that the company is trying to create a new brand idendity, moving the pug out since it recalls the brand Hutch. As you had mentioned "We know they are all Vodafone ads". I think this is what the brand is trying to achieve
Lilian, Do you really think a company needs to shoot 30 films, with all its attendant high costs, to just build awareness about a brand that enjoys high awareness anyway? If all they wanted is to build awareness, then why promote brand features? And what new identity does the company want to create - that Vodafone now means 'ZOOZOOS' and not 'PUG'? Is it why we buy brands?
Nice post Sir!
As you said, I also think Vadofone is spending too much to communicate their value added services. But, I dont feel they are missing it in the process of letting one know what the zoozoos really do. The offerings are mentioned and one who waits till the climax learns it with a pinch of humour. They break the clutter but for the first few times. May be because of that issue they are forced to take more ads. It is like digging it deeper, if gold struks its good or else it may be a deep ditch.
Sir,
Great post!
Not sure what could be the intention behind creating Zoozoos, but one thing is for sure..these kind of ads will definitely invite lot of creative young people to get into advertising. Wow!!! Just love watching those cute little Zoozoos.
Keep writing more such reviews on ads Sir.
I use your blog to come to senses or to get a devils advocate point of view.
I was carried away by the zoozoo Ad as most of India ( ok urban India) would be. I was also thinking from the same point of view of ROI.
I came across this statement " new age companies are not measured by the ROI, It is all about Return on imagination". well that gives a whole new dimension to the zoozoo returns. I am a Airtel user and I have opted for DND facility. Now the ZooZoo feature Ad are really giving me questions about airtel features. In addition to all this I would watch the zoozoo morning, noon and midnight compared to the madhavan and divya balan ad by Airtel. I feel we should all donate Rs 100 per head to Vodfone for saving us from the misery of such ads.
Good Post sir,
In the initial i love the add very much,but now it become very irritating .Especially in the middle of the interesting match .
But the effort is very good, but it wont last longer like pug or emotions of airtel.Somehow i felt something is missing,i wont have that caliber to judge it exactly.
But good show in the time of IPL
m missing the pug!!!
Certainly not Sir. These are only secondary elements. All that I appreciated about the new Vodafone ads was that they really stood apart from any other mobile service provider commercials, given the time frame. And yes, 30 commercials is an exaggeration. We can hardly remember some 5 to 6 of them.
However, the biggest flaw that I noticed is that Vodafone ads are still being crafted to appeal only to the urban audience.
Hello sir,
Absolutely bang on target..!! It was goin on in my mind since i watched all ads,that the ads wasn't delivering the message which they intented to deliver. But yes hats off to the script, innovativeness and the humour part.
To conclude,
"Operation Success,Patient's Dead"
Bingo!!! I too had a similar sort of doubt each time I saw those ads, i assumed that M not able to remember bcse I don use vodafone.. I now feel assured that many ppl think the same.. Brand recall n recognition is ther for the service provider but the services offered dont stand recalled nor recognised..
Undoubtedly the vodafone ads are funny but i think it is successful in sending the message it wants to.. A person will remember the humor and at the same time will have the message in his or her mind too... Thats what I feel... These ads has left an impact on the viewers and above all is not monotonous... May be I am wrong....
Vinoth
sir in that vodafone ad they are not building any brand awarness. they just telling the features of the brand. so in this ad they only position the features and the zoozoo in the minds of the consumer not the brand.
Vinoth
sir in that vodafone ad they are not building any brand awarness. they just telling the features of the brand. so in this ad they only position the "brand feature's" and the "zoozoo" in the minds of the consumer not the brand name.
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