"Do ThumbThing!," says Flipkart

Who would've thought mankind would, collectively, put the highly evolved, opposable thumb to such frequent use (read: abuse) thanks to the modern day gadget we call 'the mobile'? Certainly not Charles Darwin.

E-commerce marketplace Flipkart.com, in its latest digital campaign, tells people to 'Do ThumbThing', a clear play on the way our thumbs do all the tapping when we shop online through our mobile phones. The film, crafted by The Glitch, a creative consultancy, is a first person narrative from the point of view of the thumb. In the monologue, the thumb reminds us of the multiple roles, both big and small, it plays in our lives.

About the media mix, he adds, "The various elements of this campaign - videos, games, contests, special app offers - will help us generate buzz about the Flipkart mobile app amongst the younger audience." The campaign attempts to engage with newer customers through social media contests and merchandise.

About the ad, Rohit Raj, designated as 'Right Brain' at The Glitch, says, "While brainstorming for the campaign, somebody cracked a joke about how all we needed was the thumb to take control of the world. And since the thumb is what you use the most when you're on the app, this joke also became the insight."

Over the past couple of months, Flipkart has, through its mass media communication, been seen urging consumers to shop via its mobile app. A multi-film campaign, titled 'Iss Mein Hai Kisi Ki Khushi', by Lowe Lintas + Partners, positions the app as a gateway to happiness. One set of TVCs is about a boy and a girl who meet serendipitously at a wedding. The other, is about a girl who delights her little cousin with a red dress.

Thumbs Up Or Thumbs Down?

For the most part, the new digital film leaves our reviewers a tad disappointed.

"This is the same Flipkart that did the memorable 'Shopping ka naya address' campaign, in which they defined the simplicity of shopping, with kids acting as adults," she says, "I wonder why they chose to go back in time into such a generic space, one that can be true for any app."

Kailas questions, "Is using the thumb the only way to convince people to download the app?" It's probably the brand's way of implying ease of usage, she reasons.

The script, she says, is "an attempt to be poetic, that's all," adding about the execution, "Montage and complementing poetry is seen in our world of advertising. What could have been done differently? For starters, a different idea."

Payal Vaidya, executive creative director, Publicis Capital, says, "I've seen a campaign by Airtel done in the same vein; it spoke about how our parents held our hands and about how now it's our turn to do the same."

We've also seen Sony Ericsson (now Sony) harp on 'finger talk' in a 2011 campaign for Xperia smartphones.

Vaidya adds about Flipkart's current film, "Even if the idea, on paper, sounds cool, it could have been translated better on screen. It takes a while to understand that the narrative is of the thumb. It seems as though they wanted to cover as many instances as possible, rather than letting a few sink in. It's a good attempt, but no 'thumbs up' as such."