Mosquito With An Identity Card (MORTEIN)

I have turned a blogger today for the first time and advertising is the subject I will be writing about.

Of the innumerable ads we are subjected to some ads do catch our attention because of their uniqueness or they strike an emotional chord and make us remember them even after a long time. Such ads could be reflections of what happens in our lives: our fears, concerns, hopes, fantasies, and so on. The purpose of my blog is to recall these memorable ads and analyse them. Some could be current ads and some from the past which are etched in my memory. At times I might also talk about other matters connected to advertising, so let’s see how it goes.

A Memorable Ad Campaign
There is one campaign which has had a long innings on TV. The ad talks of dangerous diseases we should be protecting ourselves from and the product advertised eliminates the carrier of these diseases. The campaign has a mascot and guess what the mascot is; it is the very carrier of diseases the product claims to eliminate effectively. Let’s put it in other words, the villain tells us what can destroy him. Now that is truly bizarre. But that’s how the campaign is, and I am sure it has been effective commercially; it also among my favourites.

Mosquito With An Identity Card
The ad campaign I am writing about is that of MORTEIN. I have selected this campaign because the creative idea is both bizarre and different and to my mind the campaign is truly memorable. The TV commercial begins with a cute looking mosquito wearing a jacket, a cap and a scarf around his neck. He sings a jingle introducing himself as Louie. He also shows his identity card which is pinned in the inside of his jacket. He introduces his friends (other mosquitoes), he tells us that he spreads diseases like dengue and malaria, and the only thing he mortally fears is Mortein. In another commercial he is shown to be joining forces with cockroaches in order to launch a ground as well as aerial attack on humans; but this strategy planned by Louie is foiled by Mortein.

Mortein consists of a range of anti-mosquito and anti-cockroach products. There is a high degree of competition in this category. In a category like this there is hardly or no real difference in terms of product features and benefits. What makes a brand stand out in the clutter is creativity of its ad campaign; I think that Mortein campaign has been able to stand out in the clutter successfully and the mascot has been used a very innovative way. Louie the mosquito in a way advises you as to how he and his friends can be eliminated using by Mortein. Isn't that interesting?