CEAT bowls a googly by running a near five-year-old ad during the ongoing WPL

The ongoing Women’s Premier League (WPL) has seen many deliveries which bamboozled batswomen. It is, however, CEAT which takes the top spot for the googliest of deliveries this season.

The tyre company has used a near five-year-old ad to advertise its superior grip during the ad breaks of the WPL and across general entertainment channels.

A brainchild of Ogilvy and made by Future East Film, a production company, Kamla is the 30-second story of a real cow scanned and re-built in 3-D and how it, like many of its ilk, can cause road accidents.

This ad was part of CEAT’s For The Game Called Road campaign, the company has released many ads accentuating the causes of road accidents and how the tyres help prevent them. CEAT’s last one recreated the famous Beatles Abbey Road photograph.

The Kamla ad was in limbo for many years because “the focus at that time was on projecting a premium imagery. Hence the focus was on premium two-wheeler (Pulsar, Apache, Yamaha FZ) bike tyres and premium four-wheeler tyres (SecuraDrive),” explains Rohit Dubey, executive creative director, Ogilvy.

Why bring it back now? Dubey says there is a surge in two-wheeler scooter sales, especially among women, and with rivals MRF and Apollo focusing on scooter tyres, the brand decided to release Kamla.

The Kamla and Beatles ad films have an element of storytelling in them. There is suspense, a hint of drama, and humour. It is also quite the challenge for Ogilvy to come up with ideas for a single purpose - tyre grip.

“Well, it is challenging, but our roads provide enough creative fuel. The subjects we find, the insights which exist in Indian traffic behaviour, are unique and can be synthesised endlessly and they are there, right in front of us, every time we step out. So, yes, there is a bit of help to come up with the creatives, because CEAT's USP is so set in reality. We just keep our eyes open,” quips the ECD.

Such storytelling aspects are missing in today’s ads because one, the TV ad time slots stand at 10 or 15 seconds. Second, ad rates are expensive and if you count marquee cricket tournaments like the IPL (WPL is considerably affordable as per media reports), exorbitant.

One can hardly blame the advertiser and creative agency even though storytelling in 10 seconds is possible, coming straight to the call-to-action is considered a more efficient option.

The frenzy of the IPL matches especially, leaves very little time for the audience to process and enjoy nods Dubey in agreement. “Ergo, a micro creative logic, packed with disruptive imagery (through celebrities in different avatars, or otherwise) always hits home. As far as longer duration is concerned, digital provides enough indulgence, no love lost there,” he offers as the best route possible.

CEAT tyres, in 2021, fell under rough times when its ads starring actor Aamir Khan fell afoul religious guardians who claimed the campaign was an attempt to malign Diwali. The tyre company after this incident did not cast Khan frequently, it settled on ad models and focused on the messaging.

The Beatles ad is a good example and a possible sign of a celebrity-devoid advertising and marketing strategy, but Dubey disagrees and states it is certainly not the end of the road for celebrity-led advertising for the brand. “We are very much open to any approach, which provides a good cut-through and brand love.”