Samsung Mobile: The heart in your pocket

No matter where you are, you cannot be more than a phone call away from dear ones. That's the message Samsung Mobile conveys, in the latest series of commercials for its Guru series of handsets. The campaign features brand ambassador and actor, Aamir Khan.

With the baseline, 'Dil to jeb mein rakha hai', the campaign is yet another trip down emotional lane. However, it is a shift from the earlier Guru ads, which were much cheekier; and the attempt is clearly to appeal to an audience looking for an affordable phone.

The campaign, designed by Cheil Worldwide, features a main film that weaves the central plot and several other short films on the same story.

The commercial has been directed by Anurag Kashyap. The production house is Red Ice Productions. Vedobroto Roy, creative director, Cheil Worldwide is the copywriter. The music score is by Amit Trivedi; while the lyrics for the song in the ad have been penned by Gulzar.

The brief to the agency was to build an emotional connect with the product and the consumers.

The emotional route is not exactly path-breaking, as the commercial brings to mind similar ads in the past. Cheil, too, acknowledges this fact. "The idea is old, but there must be something right about this kind of communication. However, the main thing is the plot and the way it is presented. The film gives us a tactical spot to further exploit the idea," Roy says.

More short films on Raghu staying in touch with his family have been shot and are on-air. The campaign, which Roy expects will run through the year, will feature more such short ads.

Speaking on the insight, Roy explains how one tends to call home a lot more in the initial days of migration. "Our target audience is mainly the ones who move to bigger cities for jobs. The ad gives our TG an assurance -- an assurance that the product will be there when you need it and your phone could be your best buddy," he says.

Views Dil Se

The campaign has been received well for its simplicity, and the connect the film establishes between the product and the consumer. While parallels with other commercials featuring similar thoughts are inevitable, experts agree that the platform is right for the phone variant.

"Versus the street smart Guru of yore, this Samsung Guru ad hits a far more affable note. The small-town audience may have seen enough emotional sagas, but Aamir Khan as one of them is a refreshing one," she says.

"Most advertising that I can remember targeting the small-town consumer has often shown one-upmanship, smartness, or the winning streak. But a mobile phone, at a basic level, is the simplest way to stay connected with a loved one," she adds.

Vipin Dhyani, founder and creative director, Thoughtshop appreciates the identifiable nature of the film and the execution.

"It is a very valid plank for a variant like Guru. A guy leaving town for a job in a city and making everybody feel emotional is identifiable. The device to stay connected with a mobile is also relevant. I truly believe that the small-towners will identify with the setup, art direction, location and nuances used," he says.

Both cite examples of similar ads. Dhyani recalls the films by Nokia and Airtel to be very similar in nature. "The point is that while we will use the same set of emotions over and over again; but can we use it differently? The context can be refreshing for sure. Though we are targeting the middle class, they too look for something radically different, yet meaningful," says Dhyani.

Srinivasan, however, puts her money on the Samsung ad when compared to other commercials.

"Yes, Airtel used a similar execution style. But I think this one just attracts you with its simplicity," she says.