Advertisements come and go, but some leave a lasting impression, while others are forgotten as soon as we have seen them. The writer gives examples of some recent ads that could have been portrayed better

According to the Oxford dictionary, to advertise is:  “To tell the public about a product or a service in order to encourage people to buy or use it”.
 
Advertisements come and go, but some jingles stay on forever! Some leave a lasting impression, while others are forgotten as soon as we have seen them. Apart from product or service selling, the motive of an advertisement is also to ‘educate’ the viewer. This is the basics!
 
In the recent weeks we have had a few advertisements that are covered in this brief. Take the Colgate campaign, for instance. In one campaign, the bridegroom takes a bite (in the middle of the ceremony!) and has ‘pain’ or “tingling feeling” from his teeth. What happens? The pandit pulls out the Colgate toothpaste and hands over! In a moment, the groom is feeling fine!
 
In another, while watching a movie, in a theatre, the viewer eats something and has similar pains as the groom. What happens next?  On the screen, we have a damsel in distress, pulled apart and manhandled by thugs, but she miraculously sets herself free, virtually walks out the screen, and hands over the Colgate tube to the viewer who is suffering with pain. She didn't have the “pepper spray” to distract the attackers, but had the Colgate in her... don’t know where! She does not run away, but returns to meekly ‘surrender’ to the thugs!! What a shame.
 
The third one, probably, the only the sensible promotion, a dentist is shown explaining to the kids how Colgate helps to improve their gums and make their teeth strong.
 
In the next campaign, we have a careless and irresponsible man spitting out his paan on the wall, staining it.  What happens next? Shah Rukh Khan has a pail of Nerolac paint, and whole bunch of school kids jumping all over the place and painting the stain with the fantastic Nerolac. And, of course, they paint the place all over!  

Actually, this campaign could have been most sensibly portrayed. Shah Rukh Khan, instead of showing his ‘dadagiri’ could have confronted the man, explained to him the public nuisance he committed, and, perhaps, made him wash the place first, before joining King Khan in painting the wall with Nerolac!  He could have even gone further and said a word or two, to dissuade the pan eater to avoid ‘tobacco’ as it will cause cancer!
 
Wonder why Nerolac didn’t think of this?
 
Taking the flight to go down south, we have Dhanush (Why this Kolaveri di? fame) sitting as auto driver, waiting for a customer. Looks like a policeman, on duty, demanding a Rs50 ‘mamool’ or ‘bakhshis’.  For what we do not know, but, the auto driver acts as though he is deaf, and, after a couple of exchange of words, the policeman walks away in disgust! Moments later, auto driver gets a passenger and on his way.
 
All because, Dhanush uses “Parachute Advanced Cooling Oil”; so, he remains ‘cool” in spite of the police provocation and demand.
 
Dhanush, who also has a great following like Shah Rukh Khan, instead of accepting such campaigns, missed the opportunity of protesting against the act of ‘bribery’.  He may have remained and acted ‘cool’ because he uses “Parachute Advanced Cooling Oil” but he could have put his foot down to say that ‘paying’ or ‘taking’ a bribe is wrong.
 
So, to Dhanush, we may just ask: “Why this mishtake dey?”