The astatic world of advertisement is full of glitz and glamour with its countless manifest and latent pageantry outcomes and forms. It’s all about looking good, feeling good and in the end becoming good (at least every second ad claims so). Omnifarious print and electronic advertising campaigns are taking up the media scene with frenzy every day (as we don’t have anything else to do). This media revolution touched its zenith during the past few years due to the media friendly government policies which enabled several new TV channels and Radio stations to dive into the media sea and to test their meter and capability to be a part of mainstream. Getting strength from this media boom, the field of advertising also spreads its wings for a full new flight and tried to infuse new life in the field by reinventing something catchy and creative to inspire public. The increased interest of national and international multinationals and brands in the Pakistani society and their close and ruthless competition also fueled this urge to advertise one’s product in a more unique and user friendly manner.
It can be easily maintained that today’s world is simultaneously reflecting and is being shaped by the creative ideas of ads and at times they serves as a unique source of entertainment among the monotonous soap operas, news and talk shows. Consider it a virtue or vice, but its true that we are living in an ad driven world with bundle of ideas and thoughts, not necessarily be of quality. Ads should be more than making females’ anorexics and males’ hypochondriacs. Sometimes it seemed that the dear advertiser is more conscious and anxious about you than you yourself are. That’s the level of Apnapun, Etamad and Saalon ka Bharoosa, with which one feels compelled to tie up and remained a faithful buyer of the product. When we compete the level of ads being generated by the kings rather Vikings of our advertising industry, we at times feel that they are not up to that specific level of excellence which we witness in foreign lands or even in our neighboring country India. I am unable to digest the idea that by using a specific brand of toothpaste how one can win one’s loves interest or if one shows his/her loyalty towards product X, he/she can be a head turner. Mainly the ideas are just a lethargic repetition of the previous one with changed models, outfits and locations. These run of the mill ideas depicts either the barren minds of our directors and advertising agencies or the outcome of the typical Pakistani psyche, the residual of Macaulay’s training which has unabled us to think of our own and to polish and carve our own creative niche, unique from others. Let’s have a bird’s eyeview over the advertisement scene in Pakistan and our neighboring India.
Cellular Companies and Cell Phones:
If you just sit for a few minutes in front of your TV sets, watching local TV channels, with your ears and eyes open, you will end up in deducing what I have concluded that we are only selling mobile Sims and buying cell phones(as we don’t have any other option left). Every year the cellular companies and mobile manufacturing companies spend billions of rupees just to make their presence felt through the expurgated and savory celebrities. You might have watched Ali Zafar and Aminah Haq enchanting Yehi Hai Sab Ke Dhun, Meera, Gia Ali and Veena Malik dancing in obnoxious way (thinking of Shakira) over the remix version of Nazia Hasan’s Baat Bun Jaye and Iman Ali and Mommar Rana thanking some Happy hour as it had Kar de Mushkil Aasan. All these cynosures of our eyes just want us to believe in the product they are endorsing and amazingly we get convinced. But why there’s always someone renowned, why not general public, any obese housewife, a middle aged rickshaw driver, or a school going boy? Cannot they make us believe in the very perennial comfort and access which the cellular companies promises? If you just see the print versions of all these ads, you will find all the models posed in a slightly tinted manner to one of their respective sides. This semi recumbent pose reminds me of the images one used to witness in fashion magazine pages where celebrities and socialites pose to be noticed.
If we just peep into Indian ads of same genre, you will end up quite astonished and at time smiling at the uniqueness of the idea. They do make star studded ads but also make ads with general masses; even they have worked miracles by casting children in these ads. I think it’s simply awesome to watch children mouthing out the company’s philosophy in a simple, cute and convincing way.
Soaps:
Discarding the regular washing soaps likes of Gulahri, Gaey soaps, we shall concentrate on beauty soaps which ensures our Ticket to Edenhood. Before the invasion of cellular companies in the advertisement industry, soap ads were the undisputed kings of advertisement world and I think they feel in a same way as a dethroned king feels. There are old and established names in the market who have carved the golden statement of Log Hamara Chehra He Tou Dekhtay Hain, delivered through a gorgeous lady with impeccable beauty. Most of the times, the International brands make similar ads for there campaigns to be run in different nations. Difference lies in the selection of popular faces and in storyline which yields the cultural values of the respective country. One can take the notice in the famous soap brand’s ad of Reema stipulating Ab Khoubsourti Say Daar Kaisa and its Indian version of Priyanka Chopra. But again, it’s run of the mill idea with least innovation of idea, cast and content, although it promises to be an eye candy and visual treat otherwise. As I have mentioned, it’s all about, looking good and feeling good.
Insurance Companies:
A much popular field of advertisement in India, the insurance companies ads have been ignored in Pakistan. Having only the golden jingle Aye Khuda Meray Abbu Salamt Rahein at our disposal, we haven’t witnessed any thing substantial since ages. Although with the recent surge of terrorism prevailing in the country, we may be in a need of more than our voluminous and devouring neighbor of more than 1 billion souls.
Soft Drinks:
As the scorching summer is on its way to hit us, the soft drinks ads will also come to bang us. With the great titans in the field, every year the whole country spend drift on their purchase as soft drinks have attained the status of social and culture drink. Mainly targeting youths, these ads are comparatively innovative and permissible enough to be appreciated. But this list strongly discludes the local desi ads of lemonades, lassies and sardaiyes compelling the whole nation with the slogan Piyo Piyo or Piyo Jiyo.
Cooking Oils:
The politicians, social activists, writers and businessmen all have their mutual consensus over the fact that we have purged into the great 21st century but I don’t think that our advertising people have completely reckoned it. They still portrays women as a household products and cooking oil ads are the evidence of it where wife or mother is using the prescribed oil in order to win the hearts of her family members. The Maa aur Maamta connection has never withered after its continuous exploitation since ages. Its still catchy, emotional and in. our Indian counterparts are also following our footsteps in this regard by using more Bahus instead of Maas for these ads (got there obsession with Saas Bahu serials).
There are bundles of others products that target the potential consumers equipped with the latest technological advancements beyond imaginations. But I resign here in the vast national interest (Qoom Kay Vaseeh Tar Mafad Main), and hope for that dazzling time when we shall rise from the microscopic views about things and issues and shall be able to comprehend the diverse spectrum of viewing at things. We shall learn it someday, yes someday (not now).
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