Fast track watches changed its tag line from 'how many you have?' to 'move on' some time back.
The ad campaign for the 'how many you have?' was more on the lines of showcasing the range and affordability in a funny manner.
so were the ads (clichéd though) showcased the girls chasing a boy who sports a new one every time (I suppose) and the song goes on the lines of how many you have. what made the ads enjoyable was the quirky treatment and fresh college faces. the ads worked. sales zoomed. the brand established.
so far so good. Then the itch for a new theme started. Presumably agency initiated. Research team would have got down to business and focus groups initiated. What came out was the 'move on' campaign.
The campaign was a huge hit. Strongly connected with the college going kid. And more importantly gave a positive spin to how kids today look at relationships when you compare it with the older generations. When a relationship fails, you had a Devdas out of a nobody, today you have a Dev D out of him. It tried to say that there is no point in 'hanging on' but to 'move on' in life.
The key to the success was again the treatment.
you had a boy and girl what looks initially like exchanging gifts later turning out to be returning the gifts given by each other. no hard feelings. no sob story. brilliant!
The campaign worked. Brand strengthened. The client and the agency decided its time to push the bar even more. but this time, the standards fell. And how!
The move on campaign moved into the dangerous territory of putting a spin on 'one night stand'.
The ad (unfortunately, I couldn't get a link for this one) showed a girl and a boy getting close or rather too close for comfort. till the girl decides it’s high time and decides to dump him by getting 'too close' to him. before one could comprehend it, there was a boy version on air just to showcase that dumpings are gender insensitive!
What fails me and intrigues me is the thought behind this ad? Did the research gave pointers that one night stand is in or is it the in thing? If so, wouldn't it have been better for the client to exercise his own judgement before allowing the agency to run away with a 'new twist' to the 'move on' route.
Today, when the world is looking up advertising and its gurus to promote the concept of safe sex, the idea of multiple partners which the ad so explicitly promotes leaves a very bad taste. And come to think of this, it is a TATA brand; known for its honesty and integrity among many others.
The jury is still out on this one. but I think, it’s time for fast track to slow down and move on from here.
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hey , great thoughts here, i especially like the part where you have questioned fastracks' latest campaign in terms of whether ,what they are promoting is healthy or safe and if it is the right message to send out in this day and age !! and the brand being TATA making it even more ominous!!
ReplyDeleteLook forward to reading more :)
I think this is a classic case in point of the conflict we witness whether oriental countires aping west or vice versa or the generation gap between the millium and Gen X and Gen Y
ReplyDeleteAs Romina said aptly it is very ominous coming from a Brand like TATA
I think the Fastrack ads explore the view point of the growing crowd in metros who indulge in what is being portrayed.
ReplyDeleteIn hindsight, Fastrack ads take me back to the carefree days of exploring my sense of worth, budding ambition, enjoying movies and only one complain that we could have only yearned enough to freak out but I guess were so caught up in our home grown conscience and middle class mentality of studying hard and giving constructive time to our existing, assumed, flourishing careers . . . OH BOY!!!
Nevertheless, all is well, that ends well but I still love to have a time machine to unwind that carelessly spent part of life that we could have rehearsed to a greater degree that would have enabled us to perform more competently today.
You have stirred my weekend Dude. . . Love to read more!
Cheers!
Saif
thanks Srinivas, Romina and Saif for your kind words. looking forward to hearing more from you.
ReplyDeleteChief there are enough moral policing and why are you lifting a candle. Advertising is fun and the category is youth. Current generation wants to see something really cool. Am not supporting one night stand or having premarital sex and so on. But the ads are endearing and is working with the profile of the product as well. Please dont bring in tata and his father into it.
ReplyDeleteVery well said Amit. I liked the last part specially about the integrity. Full agreements with you
ReplyDeleteI thoroughly dislike the new set of ads showcasing the fastrack brand of watches. Although apparently aimed at the youth, it makes a mockery of the traditional Indian values which many of us hold dear.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I concede that traditional relationships are in fact changing, I don't see teenagers and the youth indulging in indiscriminate sex. Caution seems to be the buzzword.
In this respect, being a 25 yr old male, I feel this ad is somewhat out-of-sync with reality and fails miserably. What a fall from grace!! I totally agree with you. Fastrack has to 'Move on'.
Good write up!
ReplyDeleteHate hate hate the Ads. Do NOT want any teenagers to watch this. Multiple sexual partners should be strongly discouraged from health point of view. Not only physical, but mental health too.
I wonder if there is anyway to inform fast track on how much this campaign sucks! Really sucks.
I totally agree with the fact that the campaign is very myopic in its approach of considering youth to be like those as picturised in the ad. C'mon, it is india and is a diverse land. This ad might hold good for approximately 2% of the youth in the country. It is very sad that such no brainer brand communications are being used to create a brand which is selling in almost every city and towns across india. Tata,pls beware of the negative implications that this campaign will bring as I belive india is not yet ready to embrace such ads breaking tremendous social stigma.
ReplyDeleteI think the point is not "education" but getting attention... and these ads do that well enough. I know because I noticed them enough to google about them. Hey, so the campaign is working!
ReplyDelete