Television Commercials - 2020

Being someone who is beguiled by television commercials, I do have this habit of watching those ads which I find spellbinding in YouTube again and again just like we binge watch Netflix / Prime video contents. The past 40 days of IPL has brought some good cricket as well as few sweet and mind-blowing television commercials. Of the numerous ad's that crossed path with my eyes during this cricketing season, two have always managed to put a smile on my face every time I give it a view.

Let's start off with

a) Phone Pe

A series of 20 seconds apposite ad's which is delightful at the same time enlightens all of the digital payment app features

C'mon lets go one by one

Ad 1: Who uses Phone Pe

Goal - Portraying user base

Here Alia can be seen trying to pay the fine so as to release her brother from jail. She asks the station master to accept her payment via the app and he questions her - who uses phone pay?

All including his colleague Shinde sir raise their hands and our station master (Desai sir) is flabbergasted.

Ad 2 : Done before you finish your words

Goal - Speed of transfer

We have Tyson asking his sister Alia to make the payment quickly. With a contempt on his face, our Desai sir claims

Abhi tho madam paisa transfer karengi....

Wo jayega....

Phir aayega....

Bahuth time....

He gets a transfer beep before he could swallow his final word.

Ad 3: Inspector Desai does an analysis

Goal - Your family members are already in, what about you?

Hope the setting is afternoon. Shinde sir looks like he had a full tummy meal and is already caught in the arms of sleep. Now we have Desai, searching his contacts on Phone Pe. He reads out the list

Mrs he....

Shalu he....

Raju...

Oh!!!!! DCP...

Poor Shinde sir wakes up from his half nap hearing that name and gives a salute. In a short time, this clearly portrayed the fear subordinates have for their superior incharge, a custom duly followed in our country :). To this, Desai reassures that the name is in phone and the officer is not physically present. Chill up!!! and please have your seat.

A suspicious Shinde sir then asks

Sir..... Shalu....... kaun????

To this Desai gives a dubious look and Shinde sir slowly gives a smile indicating he got an answer to his question. Desai looking at his phone pe asks Shinde sir

Kaun Shalu ?????

PS: This is my personal favorite among the six ad's. An actress who came up with a good day smile couldn't put a feel good smile on my face, neither did the biscuit :) but Shinde Sir with his mannerisms did the job.

The question still remains a mystery

Kaun Shalu???

Ad 4 : Desai sir tries it out

Goal : The app is user friendly even for the beginer's

The scene opens with Desai sir scanning the QR code of Rangeela salon. He makes the payment and has the happiness in his face that he has transferred the money digitally for the first time. Seeing this Shinde sir who doesn't have much of a hair to cut, steps out from his chair and eagerly asks Desai sir

Kaise??

Proud inspector who stands there as if he has conquired the world replies back

Arey... Shinde, bahuth easy he.... mei samjatha hoon...

Desai glanced at the QR code and started explaining

ye QR code hey na

But before he could explain Shinde sir finished making the payment. With a laughing face he conveyed

Haa sir.... bahuth simple....

Desai is bit upset with his oversmart constable, evident in his eyes. Seeing this, Shinde sir pulls back his lovely smile to which Desai questions

Ho gaya theraa nayi haircut

Ad 5 : You too have this

Goal - Mission Safety

The setting is a market space where we could see the duo collecting fruits and vegetables. Shinde sir asks

Kithna hua....

Dho so panthrah comes the reply from the fruitseller.

Like a typical Indian, Shinde sir started moving his fingers toward his tongue to get good grip from his saliva so as to count his notes. But this get's caught by our Inspector saab. A worried Inspector conveyed his subordinate

Shinde... germs shinde.....

Shinde sir pulled back his tongue. In the meanwhile, we have our shopkeeper coming up with his Phonepe QR scanner followed by his dialogue

Safe he.... phone pe.....

Desai Sir didn't expected this. He turned towards his man

Shinde.... idhar bhi.....

To this Shinde gave a thumps up with a facial expression that conveys Phone pe seems very big.

Ad 6 - Where all does Phone Pe work

Goal - Every merchant big or small uses the app

Again we are in the market. Desai sir seems to be observing people over there. He points to a flower shop and asks Shinde sir

Apna phone pe udhar chalega

Chalega Sir

comes the reply from our star. They now have flowers in hand. Desai points to a sunglass vendor and shot the same question again

Udhar....

The reply from Shinde sir came on spot

pakka chalega.....

Wearing the sunglass, Desai points to a cocunut shop

Aur udhar....

Chalega... chalegaa...

Shinde sir double confirmed

Drinking cocunut water, Desai points his eyes towards a boutique.

Aur udhar....

A baffled Shinde sir gave his reply thinking what we have to buy from a boutique.

Chalega sir... par udhar....

Desai Sir dissolved in cocunut casually stated

Shalu keliye

Shinde sir caught it this time again. He again asked his question

Kaun Shalu????

Without an answer, Desai sir tries to come out of the situation throwing the same question towards Shinde sir.

Kaun Shalu?????

Hope Shalu is a mystery which never gets revealed :)

Of all these ad's what intrigued me is their simplicity, relatability and the ease with which they conveyed their message. The content is weaved so gaily that we feel it is happening just in our locality. Shinde sir steals the show with his body language and mannerisms and I feel he has all the resemblances of a Police Constable that we see in our nearby Police Stations.

Just like a web series, waiting for the new release of this ad series.

Let's have more strategic timeouts and see Shinde sir and his boss with new ventures.

The 2nd ad which brought smile will be continued later as my hands are tired typing :) :)

Television Commercials 2020 (To be continued)

Regards

Sooraj Haridas