Ad Review: Tata AIG – Too simple to be strong?

Restless, brash, arrogant, no sense of values and culture, spoilt – are common words used to describe the youth of today. Our advertisements too have depicted these traits, glorifying the careless attitude of youngsters. Tata AIG Life’s latest campaign, however builds on values that create a strong foundation for a secure future.

The campaign that comes after the famous, ‘Thank You’ ad, in which a father is teaching his kid to acknowledge the efforts of their house help, showcases a young kid respecting his elders and caring for his parents. The campaign focuses on principles, values and ethics.

Client: Tata AIG Life Insurance Company
Agency: Bates India
Medium: Television

The brief:

The new campaign talks specifically about values in youngsters of India today. Sharing the idea behind the new commercial, Vijay Sinha, Senior Vice President and Head of Marketing, Tata AIG Life said, “There is a huge, latent need for financial instruments for long-term savings and protection in India. Hence our brand strategy emphasises on the platform of protection through the creative route of ‘strong foundation’.

“This brand messaging strategy that started with the ‘Thank You’ advertising film has been resonated in the new campaign too. The campaign focuses on our core philosophy of providing life insurance solutions that help build a strong foundation to enable individuals to protect their financial needs for a stress-free and meaningful tomorrow,” he added.

Vikrant Ramachandra, Vice President – Brand Marketing, Tata AIG Life added, “As a Tata brand, the company has always given a strong emphasis on creating a future by nurturing a strong foundation. Our communication campaigns have always focused on inculcating good values from the start.”

The execution:

Bates India has executed the new campaign with a very simple story line and a cast that is representative of many Indian families. The TVC commences with a daughter convincing her father to meet her boyfriend. The father is reluctant and hesitant as he thinks that the new generation boy would not have appropriate values. The boy arrives and touches the father’s feet. Surprised by the young boy’s values rooted in tradition, the father opens up and offers support for a coffee date. The commercial ends by emphasising the fact that a good beginning delivers good returns all your life conveying the profitability of investing in Tata AIG Mahalife Gold which gives you returns for a hundred years once invested in for 15 years.

Talking about the execution strategy of the campaign, Dheeraj Sinha, Regional Planning Director–Asia, Bates, said, “In today’s India, growth, progress and moving ahead are the key flavours of life as well as brands. The truth, however, is that Indians are progressing because of their values and foundations, not without them. My parents always said that if your basics are right, nothing can hold you back. In an increasingly uncertain time, it is our grounding that will keep us in good shape. Through the campaign, we wanted to communicate brand Tata’s philosophy that our foundations will help us fly, in a context where everyone is merely focusing on winning, achievement and progress part of the picture.”

Talking about the creative execution, Juhi Chaturvedi, Executive Creative Director, Bates India said, “Our elders today are usually resigned to the attitude of the younger generation. The ad showcases that strong values rooted in childhood give you a better future. Maha Life Gold is an offering from Tata AIG that gives you returns till a hundred years if you invest in it for 15 years and we conveyed the idea by showing how values developed since childhood gives you a good present and future.”

The commercial is a part of ongoing campaign by the brand. There will be five or six more commercials on the same thought for different products by the company. Radio and Digital medium is also being used in the current campaign.

So how is the ad different from other ads for products in the same category? Juhi responded, “Lot of insurance companies use negative connotations to sell products. We have consciously stayed away from that. Tata as a company has its roots in the Indian value system and we have taken forward the company philosophy. Thus we presented a simple insight that most people can relate to.”

Expert comments:

In a highly cluttered financial services segment, will a simple thought resonate well? We ask the experts:
“I really loved the commercial,” said K V Sridhar aka Pops, National Creative Director, Leo Burnett. Smitten by the simplicity of the idea and the execution, he added, “It is a very nice ad. Good beginning is very important for anything good to happen in life and the ad conveys that idea beautifully. People would instantly relate with the campaign and the brand. Media and advertising has projected the youth in a negative light whereas our youngsters today respect their parents, have values and the commercial comes as a refresher. I like the portrayal of young children in the ad - it is much more real and believable. The cast is realistic and acting very natural. I would applaud the director for a brilliant execution of the film. But Tata AIG has been slow earlier, it is important it keeps the momentum right now.
Stars: 4 / 5

Emmanuel Upputuru, National Creative Director, Publicis India commends the simplicity of the commercial but is not quite sure if the ad is able to convey the message. He says, “A simple message is always good. But I am not very sure if a simple message is good enough to convey what you want to tell your customers. The message of starting right is not unique for the financial category and I am not sure if it sticks. The financial sector is filled with ads that promise you the moon. At least this ad stays away from that. The ad has the potential to draw attention but probably doesn’t do enough to close the deal. The spot is nicely directed. I always like casting that looks real. The dialogues are written well.
Stars: 3.5 / 5

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