Big Babol: Mix and Match

Launching a new variant of the bubble gum that allows the consumer to have fun with colours, the new communication for the product once again resorts to a cheeky animated storyline, which presents the product benefit and the positioning 'Bade Kaam Ki Cheez'.

Bubble gums that change colours? Perfetti Van Melle has added a little more fun to the bubble gum category with Big Babol Colour Magix.

Consuming two different-coloured gums of the new variant gives a third colour to the bubble gum in the mouth -- this is what Big Babol Colour Magix is about. The television commercial for the product is once again animated (remember the bird and turtle TVC?) and has a cheeky plot with the bubble at the centre of things.

Created by McCann Erickson Delhi, the creative team at the agency included Naren Multani, Jeet Kalra, Rohit Devgun and Kapil Batra. The film has been directed by Abhijit Chaudhury of QED Films. The animation has been done by Bijit Kundu and team, at Johnny Soko and The Flying Robots.

Creative head Batra tells afaqs! that while the concept was unique in the category, it was all about the craft of mixing colours that one learnt in school. The agency was briefed to highlight this innovation of mixing colours.

He further says that typically, Big Babol's communication has been slightly edgier than the rest in the category. And, this time as well, the agency had to keep the tone in the same zone.

"We had to marry the product benefit with how children go about things, behave with a slight tinge of mischief. Kids want to have fun and love to take 'pangas'. With this insight, we had to do something that brings out the colour innovation. We all believe that bulls react to the colour red. So, we used that behavioural tendency with a twist in the same, and another twist that is eventually offered by the product," says Batra.

"All Big Babol communication revolves around the large bubble that one can blow with the gum. The positioning for the brand is 'Bade Kaam Ki Cheez', which basically reinforces how you can use the big bubble to your advantage. In the case of Big Babol Colour Magix, as well, the bubble has been very cleverly used as a device to highlight the colour changing aspect of the gum," says Namita Gupta, category head, Perfetti Van Melle.

Television is the only medium being used for the campaign. Maxus is the media planning and buying agency for the brand.

True colours

Creative professionals seem to be rather pleased with the film, and when approached, have lauded the TVC simply because it has been approved by their children!

Sambit Mohanty, executive creative director, Bates 141, says that it is no mean task to come up with ideas that are a hit with the children, and the TVC in question does a pretty good job at it.

"Cracking ads that children want to watch again and again is no child's play. This film for Big Babol passes that test with flying colours (pun intended). I loved the thought of the boys using Big Babol to take 'panga' with the bulls (who pay the price for seeing red). And, so did my kids. Mission accomplished, I would say," Mohanty says.

Nilesh Vaidya, executive creative director, Network Advertising goes a step further and actually contributes with his daughter's views on the film, thereby also conveying the fact that it is a message lapped up by the target audience.

According to Vaidya, his daughter finds the ad endearing and cannot get enough of it. She even asks for money to buy the gum. "She quickly asks if there are any bulls near the house, though," he quips.

Vaidya feels though that there are too many colour-changing gum ads around suddenly. I wonder what chemicals they are using. I really like the animation style, but will all kids relate to it? It remains to be seen if the story is interesting enough for repeat viewing? And, isn't using Nana Patekar's voice a little overdone?"

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