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STAR News, Bates stir viewers’ emotions on World Literacy Day
The new TVC tries to stir viewers’ sensibilities about the increasing child illiteracy in India
There are around 4.5 crore illiterate kids in our country. STAR News – on September 8, World Literacy Day – tried to evoke the emotions of its viewers about the serious problem child illiteracy continues to present in our country by airing a special TVC made for the occasion.
The TVC shows a child running towards a school bus with a school bag on his shoulder. As he nears the vehicle, another kid in a school uniform runs up from behind. He takes the bag from the first boy and boards the bus. The first boy looks dejected. The voiceover says, “Aaj bhi hamare desh mein saadhe chaar crore bachche kabhi school nahin ja paye. Aaiye, sabko school pahunchane ki shapath le (Even today there are four-and-a-half crore children in our country who haven’t ever been to school. Come, let us pledge to send all of them to school).”
The first boy apparently works as a domestic servant in the second child’s home.
The TVC tends to deliver a very strong message in a rather simple way, albeit taking the emote route. The end of the TVC is sure to touch the heart of many viewers.
Uday Shankar, CEO and editor, STAR News, says, “The idea is to strike a chord with the middle-class viewers and stir their sensibilities. The film takes a leaf from the viewers’ daily life, which they tend to ignore.”
Shankar clarifies categorically that this was no brand-building exercise for STAR News. He says, “As a news channel, it is our mandate to educate the viewer, and through this film, we’ve attempted to spread awareness about one of the major problems our country faces today.”
Charulata Ravi Kumar, executive vice-president, Bates India, the creative agency that conceived the TVC, agrees with Shankar. She says, “This film wasn’t meant for brand building. Our sole objective was to ignite the viewers’ emotions about child labour and child illiteracy.”
“The execution of the ad is simple yet full of impact as the viewers can easily feel and relate to the situation,” says Kumar.
© 2005 agencyfaqs!