January 28, 2011

Best Indian Print Ads (LET TIMES OF INDIA OF WAIT, Ads that smell, ads that you can touch and feel, Talking press ads, Moving mazagine ads)

Advertisements are a very good way of expressing one’s creativity and the biggest challenge is to design a print advertisement keeping in mind the medium's cons which are the fleeting exposure, the clutter, the problem of cheap quality of paper and of printing. Let us examine 5 press advertisements that have stood out and become the talk of the town.

TIMES of INDIA: The old lady of Boribunder, TIMES OF INDIA always stood for innovation and bold thinking. So it was not a surprise to credit the top most innovation to this grand old lady of Indian Media. Most Readers were amused to see the masthead of TIMES OF INDIA become LET TIMES OF INDIA WAIT for ……………… The words LET and WAIT were of the same font and size of the mast head itself. .Most purists objected to the idea of the masthead becoming a part of a advertisement but like the adage goes “it is all about money - honey”. Even the old lady had to bow her head before the lucre of money.

SMELLING ADVERTISEMENTS: In many cases the press advertisements are visual in nature and leave the reader cold because he/she can't feel, touch and experience the product. One innovation that is very appealing is found in many foreign fashion magazines. The perfume and toiletries advertisements feature glossy photographs of models, perfumes and a patch of rub on. The reader can rub his finger on the rub on patch and smell his finger. And presto to he can smell the perfume. Talk about effective product demonstration. But care should be taken to see that the smell is nice and does not leak and spoil the entire magazine.

Telugu Diwali special publications over do the perfume part by dousing the entire magazine with Paneeru (a sort of perfume). The end result is a magazine that stinks and leaves a very bad taste in the mouth.

TOUCH AND SEE ADVERTISEMENTS: In the case of comparative advertisements it is very difficult to believe the veracity one's claim with another especially when the claims are based on perceptions that are very difficult to explain. Ariel tried a very innovative campaign to show that it washes better than its famous competitor. They claimed that their detergent is better than that of the competition by sticking small bits of cloth washed by its famous competitor and a small piece of cloth washed by Ariel itself. Needless to say the cloth bit washed by Ariel was cleaner, brighter and better looking. Like the saying seeking is believing.

TALKING ADVERTISEMENT: the biggest problem with the press advertisements are that they can't speak and they can't move. Both these issues have been addressed. First let us examine the talking advertisement . THE TIMES OF INDIA had featured the talking advertisement. That particular day’s edition of TIMES OF INDIA (Delhi edition) was split into two sections: a 26-page news section, and a 10-page wraparound.

The opening page of the wraparound carries this announcement: " THE TIMES OF INDIA and Volkswagen have created four pages of content as part of a special media innovation. Don’t miss reading and listening to this ‘speaking newspaper’.” On the last page of the wraparound is a full-page Volkswagen advertisement for its new model Vento.

As the page is opened a light-sensitive speaker—yes, a light-sensitive speaker— weighing no more than a mere 10-15 grams and stuck on the extreme left panel in the advertisement , belts out the line in a loop:

“Best in class German engineering is here. The new Volkswagen Vento. Built with great care and highly innovative features. Perhaps that’s why it breaks the hearts of our engineers to watch it drive away.

“The new Volkswagen Vento. Crafted with so much passion, it’s hard to let it go. 

“Volkswagen. Das Auto.”

Talking Press advertisement of Vento carried in TIMES OF INDIA 

THE MOVING PRESS ADVERTISEMENTS: In October 2008, to commemorate the magazine’s 75th Anniversary, Esquire published a limited edition digital cover that featured electronic ink with moving words and flashing images. In 2009, Esquire launched an augmented reality where actor Robery Dopney Jr’s avatar can be controlled using QR code barcodes printed in the magazine.

Esquire magazine Advertisement 

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