IPL V - what’s missing

All of us have a point of view on the  ratings that the IPL V is generating. Some of us, like me, are clearly cynical about the ratings where as some media buyers are comfortable as they believe that the absolutes are going up. Also such high ratings for 5 years in a row are good. The advertiser in me is not convinced because we look for the quintessential Cost per rating point. The fact is that yesterday on 26th April 2012 in one strategic break there was no paid commercial on Set MAX. Seems like advertisers are not amused as to the way IPL is going.

Are the rating poor or not is not the moot point. The issue is also about the management view point. I guess I am too used to the business TV where every quarter the top management comes on air and gives their view on way forward. I recently heard Sri Sri (he has wrested this title from LKM) Rajiv Shuklaji say that “aal iz well” on the IPL front. It did remind me of Aamir but did not inspire the same confidence that I got watching 3 Idiots. Sri Sri Shuklaji’s words seemed hollow. The complacency is disturbing.

I have been wanting to write a blog on IPL 5 for some time. The final trigger came last night when I was watching the match between DC and PWI with my son. He still has not come to terms with Sanga playing for DC (not KXIP) or Yuvi cheering for PWI (not KXIP). He told me (as I am not a football fan) that such drastic changes don’t happen in football and they don’t happen so often. So, the team’s identity and recognition is strong. He has a point. I had covered this issue in my blog last year as well. (read: Why IPL is such a bore this year).

We all understand that the auctions happened in 2011 because of 2 new teams and therefore the mess. What happened after that? The Kochi team went out and there was fresh auction and there were transfers as well. Murali has moved from CSK to KTK to RCB. Jadeja moved from RR to KTK to CSK. Pietersen moved from RCB to DC to DD. If these were the only changes most of the fans would have accepted them. But the list of the changes included big names like Mahela, Hodge, McCullum, Owais Shah, Parthiv and on and on.

Whilst the fans were grappling with these changes there is more of uncertainty added because of addition of players in the middle of the tournament. SL and England series got over and a lot of players landed up after one week or more. And next week we will see even more big names like Warner, Watson, Clarke, M Hussey, Harris and Bravo come over after the Aus WI series is over. And not to mention player exits. Malinga and Gilchrist are missing due to injuries and Albie Morkel missing due to personal reasons.

With all this can you identify yourself with the teams? Unless you are V Anand or have a chip fitted in your brain you are going to find it difficult for sure.

Do you find it very exciting to cheer for M Morkel, Pollard, Narine and Cooper. Why these names? These are the top 4 wicket takers in this IPL (till 26th April 2012). Out of top 10 wicket takers this season only 4 bowlers are Indian. And of them only 2 of them have played any meaningful cricket for India, Munaf and Chawla. So, who are you cheering for? Last year there were 7 Indian bowlers in top 10. Dont we as a society believe in hero worship. Who is the hero here? Unsung ones? Foreigners? I dont think that sounds exciting. Indian performance in batting is also poorer this year. 5 in top 10 vs 6 last year. Only 2 known names of Sehwag and Dravid. No SRT, No Kohli, No Raina. In the match that PWI won because of Dada’s bowling, the whole country went berserk in his praise. The same thing doesnt happen when Gayle hits hard. IPL needs Indian Heroes. And the Indian heroes are a tired lot. Not able to hit the big ones or the write length. (for more details on this read: How to kill the Golden hen - the BCCI way)

Finally, this IPL has shown the yawning gap between the international players and domestic ones in application on the field. A Steve Smith, Pollard, Hussey or Duminy bring certain amount of effort on the field which is superior to most Indians incl Raina or Kohli.

So, all these may or may not be acting on the conscious mind but possibly working at the back. Do I have answers for these or am I just raising some questions. I am not too interested in finding the solution because IPL has lost me. I will still watch some matches when I can but I am not dying to watch. I am not driving fast to reach home at 8.

Wish Shuklaji all the very best and hope aal iz well.

All stats given above are till April 26, 2012. IPL being dynamic, the stats change everyday.


Please do post your reactions below this blog. You can also reach me out at @agrawalsanjeev on twitter

Redefining offensive advertising

I have been wondering as to what constitutes offensive advertising. In my pursuit for finding offensive advertising I came across some of the controversial advertising of the past. Sample some of these:

The one that started it all was in October, 91. One of the first ad for Kamasutra Condom featuring Pooja Bedi and Marc Robinson. Year 1993 Ad for MR Instant coffee ("Real pleasure does not come in an instant") featuring Malaika Arora and Arbaaz Khan. And the most controversial of them all in year 1995 for Tuff Shoes, featuring Madhu Sapre, Milind Soman, two pair of shoes and one shy python. Year 1998 Ad featuring Bipasha Basu and Dino Morea for Switzerland based underwear makers Calida. Both of them in innerwear and Dino pulling Bipasha’s with his mouth.

So, what’s controversial about these ads? They are plain simple sexy. Not for Indian moral standards. They became controversial also because they had celebrity models. Some of these were crass and some more tastefully done but all of them sexy to the hilt.

I couldn’t find an acceptable definition of offensive advertising. I guess because each one of us have different ethical standards and we judge everything by our own standards. Therefore there is no agreement and no definition. To me fairness cream advertising is offensive. The ones which promise marriage because of fairness have been more offensive than others. I do understand that the insight is from real life. With the society progressing the fairness advertising moved from marriage to jobs. The more sexist one was it helps you become an air-hostess. Worse are ads with celebrities and the more recent ones for men with SRK and Virat Kohli endorsing them.

But this one takes the cake! Have you seen this ad for Clean and Dry intimate wash?

This one is clearly the worst on being offensive. Fairness for intimate parts? Maybe there is a consumer insight on this one. I have not done consumer work in this area and therefore would stay away from the insight. But I find the promise almost repulsive as to what is the depth that marketers and advertisers can slip down to. I really want some of you to help me understand if I am the only one?

Before this particular ad the most offensive ad that I felt belonged to communitymatrimony.com. I am sure you all have seen this ad.

But this one is so sweet compared to the clean and dry ad. And even the goibibo.com ad (where the air hostess slaps the passenger because he has not bought the ticket from goibibo) is like grandmotherly sweet, reminding you of the Air India air hostesses. See the ad if you have not seen it till now.

So, redefine your own sensibilities of offensive ads. Communitymatrimony.com and goibibo.com are nice commercials based on “consumer insights”.

Please do post your reactions below this blog. You can also reach me out at @agrawalsanjeev on twitter