The new Bank of India TV ads are gentle, earthy and made realistically. They entertainingly bring out the struggles of modern life and this helps make the brand fit happen endearingly

I watched the new Bank of India TV campaign with a degree of circumspection. Public sector advertising has traditionally been safe and cliché ridden in India. But must say I was left pleasantly surprised… it's actually quite a nice campaign. Indeed, it's good to see sarkaari banks wake up to the need for solid advertising in these highly cluttered times.



There are three commercials on air. Each one sells a different kind of loan. One deals with home loans. This one features a dude flirting with and chasing a shy girl on the city streets. She seems to like him, but is worried that onlookers will take notice. We assume they are lovers. Or that something nefarious is at play out here, what with the chap unwilling to quit his flirty behaviour. Anyway, they reach the girl's home, and he follows her there too. And we discover they are married, and have reached their own home. But since it's a joint family, the couple has no option but to romance on the streets. Enter Bank of India Home Loans.



In another commercial, two young execs are seen sipping tea at a roadside chai shop. They are unhappy at their workplace, and want a loan to start their own venture. One very pissed off exec screams at the chai boy for serving him rubbish tea, and the two walk off in a huff. Meanwhile, the tea boys get together and complain about the same thing-that they should start their own business, instead of putting up with crabby customers every day. Enter Bank of India biz (SME) loans. The car loans ad is only slightly weaker. In this one, a man is unable to take his entire family out for a movie on his scooter, so half of them are compelled to travel by a rickshaw.

I quite like this work. The ads are gentle, they are earthy, they are made realistically… a reflection of urban Indian middle class life. Without demeaning people's dreary existence, without any hard sell, they entertainingly bring out the struggles of modern life, and this helps make the brand fit happen endearingly. Suddenly, you want to meet up with the Bank of India guys. How charming their staffers will turn out to be, is another story, of course.

A very good example of how advertising can help consumers connect with and feel affectionate to a brand. More importantly, a good example of how to sell without upsetting TV viewers with noise, tall claims and condescending celebrities.