Advertisements… always so enrapturing and interesting to watch, aren’t they?
In a matter of seconds or at the most a minute or two, these advertisements have to accomplish many several things. They not just have to capture the attention of the audience, but also create interest about their brand and earn the trust of the people watching it.
All of that, enough to ensure that the person will not just go out and buy the product, but will also talk about the brand and advertisement, spreading it by word of mouth.
But, in order to ensure sales, many advertisement companies tend to, how should I say this, over-exaggerate exactly what all can the product do.
The recent row with Dhoni and Amrapali residential builder, where upon learning of the extreme injustice done to residents and how Amrapali had left many flats half finished, they asked Dhoni to dissociate himself with the brand.
Dhoni did so and set an example for the many celebrities and people out there, that the people who endorse these brands also have a certain responsibility towards the public.
After that, I learned that the Consumer Affairs Ministry recently brought up an amendment wherein celebrities who are found endorsing misleading brands and products can be punished with either a fine of almost 50 lakh rupees or a 5 year jail term.
Wow, talk about taking no prisoners…*pun intended*
As for the actual changes and amendments brought about in the concerned Bill, I won’t get into too much detail.
But this got me thinking, of what would happen if advertisements were to be made actually honestly. As in, without making a certain thing to be the best or not to be found anywhere else, instead actually showing the reality.
Here are a few of such ads that just get on my last nerve and would like them to actually show the truth instead of the garbage they purport their product does:
- Deodorants/ Perfumes/ Roll Ons:
Alright, I don’t think I will be the first to out right laugh at some of the deodorant commercials, especially those of AXE and more. Which show the deo to have some kind of magical ability to just sniff out females from all corners and bring them.
Um.. wait, that sort of reminds me of those Hit spray ads for cockroaches, ek hit and cockroach bahar (out).
So, word of advice, maybe change your strategy to not be the same as an insecticide spray ad?
Also, one last thing, whitening roll ons do not just turn one’s armpits into small balls of white light. So… just make sure you know that before buying a roll on that promises of ‘fairer underarms’.
- Energy Drink:
From Sachin to Dhoni to Akshay Kumar and Ajay Devgn, all have rigorously endorsed such energy drink mixes. And all of them promise to turn your kids into the next superman, by increasing their height within a month, making them stronger and sharper.
Um… sure.
Also, if that were so, were the gold medals we should be throwing at Piers Morgan, won by all these kids who have been drinking it for ages?
- Fairness Cream:
Ah… the bane of my existence, fairness creams have finally found a way into this list.
Nothing against Yami Gautam, but frankly, every time that Fair and Lovely tune comes on my TV, or interrupts my YouTube video, I feel like breaking someone’s face.
There is nothing more regressive and just small minded than seeing such fairness cream ads and them connecting fairness to being more successful and happy.
And no people, putting dark makeup or dirt on a models face (who knows really) is not the same as taking an actual dark skinned girl and making her fair.
Forget all that, fairness does not equal happiness guys. Get that into your head.
- Airtel 4G:
Ok, so let me get this straight, you are saying that we can find your connection in literally the most remote corners?
Huh… funny. Because the last time I checked, I was not able to even get a decent connection here in the city itself.
Oh but no no, I’m sure that must be the fault of something else altogether.
Please Airtel, Idea and all these companies, we know exactly what kind of speed and service we are going to get. So don’t go about boasting that one can find your connection in a jungle or download an entire 700+MB movie in less than four minutes.
Signing off, I would just like to see some change in the advertisements brought about by this law and hopefully, we will see better ads.
Image Credits: Google Images
Other Recommendations:
http://edtimes.in/2016/07/advertisements-that-dared-to-break-the-convention/
http://edtimes.in/2014/04/dumb-dumber-advertisements-tv/
