Ad review
Reviewer: George John, CEO, TBWA India
Brand: Microsoft XBOX 360
Spot: The ad starts with two guys coming to their homeland, the village. Both of them get surprised on seeing a guy with skateboard in air. A woman puts her water pot in well, somersaults and catches it full of water. Stunned after witnessing this, both of them run from there. They now see villagers flying over the field to cut crops. Jumping high in the air some women do the grinding of spices. Sitting in her kitchen a wife serves roti - as a Frisbee - to her husband having lunch far away in the fields. Our guys faint when they see the husband extending his neck and asking his wife, “where is the ghee?” VO: “Welcome to the amazing world of XBOX 360.”
Microsoft has launched the X-Box in a market otherwise used to having gaming consoles ‘placed’ but not advertised - available at select grey, black and white market stores. This gadget has been targeted at over-exposed kids - those that have cousins visiting from Toronto every July--as also to
over-compensating parents. This is a promising market for Microsoft considering that the category has potential. This is also a market incapable of debating the finer points of difference between the consoles.
The Strategy: Since PlayStation, there seems to be no other way to sell a console except on processing speed. The processor, I believe, is at the heart of the gaming experience - speed of response, graphic resolution and realism increases with it. ‘X-Box presents a mind-altering experience’ the TVC seems to be saying. Not very different from what PlayStation said in 1996. Having said that I must admit, I cannot imagine how differently it could have been said. Ranking: ***
The Idea: A mind-altering experience can potentially change anything. Of the many things that X-Box could have represented as having changed, the creators have chosen the one aspect of our lives whose constant-ness we take comfort from. We have often taken solace in the mild pace of rural living. That quiet pace is now disturbed, the tranquility shattered by the placing (at the foot of a banyan tree - normally reserved for the village deity) of a X-Box console. ‘Our village has changed since then’ it seems to be saying. Ranking: ****
The Execution: There’s a plethora of elements literally flying at you. The creators have told a wonderful story in 60 seconds. You will see a rustic skateboard in ethnic motifs, you will see dhoti and kohlapuri clad skateboarders, you will see South Indian milk churners, North Indian charpoy trampoline artists, Gomantak housewives and Marathi farmers.
Of bigger relevance to me is how the producer seems to have cracked the duality code - of having to appeal to Indians (for they are the ones that have to buy the advertised wares) as well as to the judges of award juries in foreign lands - for they are the ones that will approve. This TVC solves that duality wonderfully. We shall all relate to the city boys in the village; the West shall see a picture of India they expect to see. Ranking: *****
Overall Impact: It made me smile the first time I saw it. I still smile every time I see it. What more can you ask for? Ranking: ****
source : DNA
Reviewer: George John, CEO, TBWA India
Brand: Microsoft XBOX 360
Spot: The ad starts with two guys coming to their homeland, the village. Both of them get surprised on seeing a guy with skateboard in air. A woman puts her water pot in well, somersaults and catches it full of water. Stunned after witnessing this, both of them run from there. They now see villagers flying over the field to cut crops. Jumping high in the air some women do the grinding of spices. Sitting in her kitchen a wife serves roti - as a Frisbee - to her husband having lunch far away in the fields. Our guys faint when they see the husband extending his neck and asking his wife, “where is the ghee?” VO: “Welcome to the amazing world of XBOX 360.”
Microsoft has launched the X-Box in a market otherwise used to having gaming consoles ‘placed’ but not advertised - available at select grey, black and white market stores. This gadget has been targeted at over-exposed kids - those that have cousins visiting from Toronto every July--as also to
over-compensating parents. This is a promising market for Microsoft considering that the category has potential. This is also a market incapable of debating the finer points of difference between the consoles.
The Strategy: Since PlayStation, there seems to be no other way to sell a console except on processing speed. The processor, I believe, is at the heart of the gaming experience - speed of response, graphic resolution and realism increases with it. ‘X-Box presents a mind-altering experience’ the TVC seems to be saying. Not very different from what PlayStation said in 1996. Having said that I must admit, I cannot imagine how differently it could have been said. Ranking: ***
The Idea: A mind-altering experience can potentially change anything. Of the many things that X-Box could have represented as having changed, the creators have chosen the one aspect of our lives whose constant-ness we take comfort from. We have often taken solace in the mild pace of rural living. That quiet pace is now disturbed, the tranquility shattered by the placing (at the foot of a banyan tree - normally reserved for the village deity) of a X-Box console. ‘Our village has changed since then’ it seems to be saying. Ranking: ****
The Execution: There’s a plethora of elements literally flying at you. The creators have told a wonderful story in 60 seconds. You will see a rustic skateboard in ethnic motifs, you will see dhoti and kohlapuri clad skateboarders, you will see South Indian milk churners, North Indian charpoy trampoline artists, Gomantak housewives and Marathi farmers.
Of bigger relevance to me is how the producer seems to have cracked the duality code - of having to appeal to Indians (for they are the ones that have to buy the advertised wares) as well as to the judges of award juries in foreign lands - for they are the ones that will approve. This TVC solves that duality wonderfully. We shall all relate to the city boys in the village; the West shall see a picture of India they expect to see. Ranking: *****
Overall Impact: It made me smile the first time I saw it. I still smile every time I see it. What more can you ask for? Ranking: ****
source : DNA