Expensive Idea (HIMANI FAST RELIEF)

In any ad campaign the creative idea plays the crucial role. It is the idea which makes us notice the ad stay hooked to it, even get entertained by it and may make us feel like trying out the product if we are part of the target audience; the ad also differentiates the product/brand from its competitors. When ad agencies cannot think of a great idea they may suggest using a celebrity to draw attention to the product. Celebrities are also used when it is felt that the celebrity’s popularity and status will strengthen the brand.

The TV commercial (TVC) made for Himani Fast Relief was said to be the most expensive ad ever made. It cost Rs. 1.80 crore plus the fee paid to Amitabh Bachchan. The idea was interesting; an analogy was drawn between humans and machines. The 60seconds TVC showed a bus and machinery in a factory entirely made of humans, the bus was shown to be moving around in the city roads. There was more, but I do not fully recall the details of the TVC. The makers of this commercial, I am sure, must have toiled day and night but I wonder if it was necessary to spend Rs. 1.80 crore to get the message across to the consumers. Couldn’t the agency think of an option that would cost less? Executing a great idea does not necessarily have to be so expensive. I wonder how many viewers actually saw the 60 seconds commercial, there were edits of shorter duration also. Initially the commercial did not feature Amitabh Bachchan, it appears that he was brought in much later, was it planned that way? Or possibly the commercial did not work as well it was expected, so Amitabh Bachchan was brought in to rescue the campaign. Was Rs. 1.80 crore wasted? I wish I had the answers.