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Aravind Laboratories has released a digital ad for cosmetics brand Eyetex Dazller. We asked the agency, SoCheers Infotech, whether the timing has anything to do with the release of the movie Kaabil, in which the lead actors are visually impaired.
Taking some help from a subject like disability to advertise their products is not new brand strategy. Eyetex Dazller, a cosmetic brand from the house of Aravind Laboratories, recently launched its digital film 'Real Cosmetics for Real People' conceptualised by SoCheers Infotech on a similar note.
In the past, the brand took the glamour route to communicate with its audience (Eyetex Dazller - Nail Polish & Lipsticks and Eyetex Dazller - Dazzler Girl). SoCheers Infotech won the account in the month of December 2016 and looking at the current ad, we notice a change in the brief.
We asked Gupta about the risk of casting Shreya Dhanwanthary considering her role in Ladies Room and her recent Fogg commercial. He says, "We were actually in two minds about choosing not just the actress but the overall crew. It was after a lot of discussion and possibilities that we decided to go with this crew. After the storyboarding was done, and the ad was edited, we found that the message is being conveyed really well. Shreya did a very good job and so did the entire crew."
He says, "Honestly, zero per cent planning but yes, it did play a very important role in convincing our client. This script has been with us since November as we've been in talks with the client all this while, and by the time we started our activation and came on board it was the first week of December."
He adds, "The client had doubts about how people will perceive the ad and we gave them some references. Kaabil was releasing at about the same time and played a small role in convincing my client in eventually getting this ad rolled out. However, neither me nor my scriptwriter knew about the actress getting married to the actor in the movie."
We asked our digital expert if the ad stands out among brands that have used disability as a subject and whether it runs a risk of women not buying into the brand thinking it's only for disabled persons.
She adds, "I don't think the TG will get confused because the brand has tried to close it with an inclusive tagline. From a communication standpoint, though, there's some dissonance with the theme of the film. As far as masses buying into the brand, this category primarily works on sampling and recommendations, so that's a different battle to fight."
Adding about the execution Haldipur says, "The execution of the film itself is good, but since it's digital, it's missing legs that could help translate it onto social platforms and therefore, limits engagement. In terms of casting, sure, advertising is all about the pretty, made-up faces with supporting spouses, and while they've tried to give it a context here, it's not always the best reflection of what real women are or look like."