MUMBAI: Vodafone couldn’t have had a more impactful and adorable way to introduce its latest 4G services, Supernet, than to bring back its iconic pug. The K9 brand ambassador had been a witness to the brand’s growth over the years on the network front and the star of many a brand communications. Therefore the latest series of 15 seconds ads to announce Vodafone’s much anticipated 4G services was a good way to bring back Cheeka the pug and evoke a sense of nostalgia.
Announcing the launch of Vodafone SuperNet, Vodafone India consumer director Sandeep Kataria said, “Network plays a crucial role in enhancing customer experience. In our continuing endeavour to provide superior voice and data services, we have made significant investments to expand, upgrade and modernise our network across the country. To cater to evolving consumer needs, we use multiple technologies to provide over 194 million (19.4 crore) customers across the country, all-round benefits of a seamless network experience, beyond just speed.”
The new campaign is being promoted with a high decibel 360 degree creative communication. Conceptualised by Ogilvy & Mather and produced by Nirvana Films, the three ads released so far, namely - Pug drums a beat, Pug ride a truck and Pug paints -- effortlessly create a sense of familiarity and draw audience into their new 4G network, ‘Vodafone 4G SuperNet.
“The pug was a character we generally used when we did networks ads, with the last one being in 2012. Vodafone’s 4G service SuperNet required a network campaign and that's why we thought to reintroduce everyone’s favourite Vodafone pug,” said Ogilvy & Mather Group creative director Kiran Anthony.
These aren’t really long stories that the creatives usually do for the brand. The new films are hardly 7 to 10 seconds of content and 15 second overall. It comes, does it work and is gone.
Explaining why they didn’t go for a full-fledged 60 seconder and stuck to a 15 second ad film, he added, “It is not always that you require a lengthy ad film. Sometimes a post-production can also do the job. Moreover, these 15 seconders will get much more frequency when shown on television, especially with the cricket matches that are going on. Normally there aren’t that many 60 sec ad slots. A 60 sec ad can come once or twice during a match, this can come 20 or 30 times.”
The agency is currently working on expanding the campaign and come up with a lengthy version of the ad soon.