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'Jab traffic ka haal badalta hai, toh sadke rang badalti hai' goes the brand, referencing the red-blue lines that indicate traffic levels on the map.
For the people who own cars and drive it on a daily basis, what is the first thing that comes to your mind the moment you start the ignition? It is either the traffic problems on the road and the parking issues that you have to deal with after reaching your destination. But how many of these drivers up use Google Maps to navigate their journey smartly?
Google Maps, a mobile app that helps you with satellite imagery, street maps, street view, real-time traffic conditions and route planning for traveling by foot, car, bicycle or public transportation has come up with two TV commercials #LookBeforeYouLeave, with Google Maps that addresses the issues of how traffic can be an issue for the people owning cars and how the app can help them solve this issue by showing an alternative and faster route to reach their destination easily.
The ads have been conceptualised by Lowe Lintas and are currently on the digital platform and soon be aired on TV. An outdoor campaign is also in the works.
Talking about the challenges, Iyer says, "We wanted to come out with the relevance of what difference the app can make in our lives."
The ads specifically shows the car owners who are checking the app for traffic and a better route. So we asked Iyer if this ad was specifically for those who own cars and not the ones who take a cab?
He says, "No, there is no emphasis to that. It is that anybody who gets impacted by traffic can use Google Maps. In these ads shows people who are driving their own cars but the app is for anybody who gets impacted by traffic." "So even if you take a cab, it doesn't stop you from giving the cab driver a heads up and suggesting the next best route," says Iyer. "I think people are intelligent enough to interpret it that they can use it in multiple phases," he continues.
Dingra says, "Clearly, Google across the world follows a localised ad policy. Especially in India since the Google Search: Reunion ad it has been ensuring that it builds ads based on local insights."
Adding about the execution, Dingra says, "I think the execution is on point and effective. It may not be creatively path breaking but it does the job of driving the message through. The copy is very sharp as it communicates the colour coded features of Google Maps in showing traffic versus free roads. Also the hashtag #LookBeforeYouLeave, with Google Maps is perfect as a call-to-action for the product. Also showing a kali pili cab would have been a nice iteration."