Branding

Say it Animatedly!

Vrinda Oberai

In this competitive world of advertising and celebrity endorsements, animated characters have made a mark and are here to stay. Attractive animated models are fast replacing celebrities and have managed to create an all-consuming on-screen culture.

Companies like Coca Cola, Vodafone, Virgin mobiles, and Reliance Communications among other players are cashing in on animation based advertising in a big way. The reasons can be listed from making cost effective ads or doing away with the clutter of celebrity overkill. The mass appeal of these animated characters is selling everything from cell phones to fizzy drinks to air fresheners and the audiences are simply enthralled.

Exclusive ad making

Vodafone's series of ads featuring the egg headed, balloon bodied Zoozooz pushed away the A-listers of Bollywood including Kareena Kapoor, Saif Ali Khan and Vidya Balan.

Zoozooz became an overnight sensation, given their sensational debut during the Indian Premier League this summer. Merchandise including Zoozooz rakhis, T-shirts are a favourite pick of the customers and make it explicit that the Zoozooz have managed to win hearts worldwide. "The aim was to push the boundaries and create benchmarks of disruptive communication," says Mr Ajit Varghese, MD, Maxus, Vodafone's media buying agency.

Virgin Mobile chose animation characters Pebbleheads to rejuvenate and popularise its brand late last year whereas Reckitt Benckiser is using Mrs Raccoon for Air Wick air-fresheners and Mr T for Strepsils throat lozenges. "The Pebble World breaks the shackles that normal creatives could get confined to. It also helps us spin youth-relevant stories," comments Mr Prasad Narasimhan, Chief Marketing Officer, Virgin Mobile.

Mr Srinivas Murthy, General Manager, Marketing (flavours), Coca Cola India once commented that animation offers more scope than real life commercials with its appeal to people of all ages.

Creativity unlimited

Mr Harit Nagpal, Head (marketing and new business), Vodafone Essar points out the economical side of animation ads which don't require hiring celebrities yet can send the message with a strong impact. Industry experts also hold the same view that animation ads help companies save costs of signing celebrities and also non animation ads are expensive to shoot and time-consuming as well.

However some beg to differ. As Mr Ajay Gahlaut, Executive Creative Director, O&M explains that animation ad can take enough time to be in its final form and can be quite expensive too.