Ad Sense Effect

India has a thriving advertising industry. Arriving in Mumbai and driving into the city, you are overwhelmed by posters, signs, and bright lights that are advertising TV sows, cosmetics, electronics, and more. So much information is being peddled to us, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The streets of Mumbai are always so alive and colorful.

It is such a big contrast to Indonesia where I find the advertising industry to be extremely slow paced compared to other countries in South East Asia. There are hardly any billboards around the city and the ads are not innovative at all. There is nothing sharp or witty about any of the campaigns although I know the Indonesian market would respond to something like that. There is still a long way to go here.

Here are a few ads for AXE deodorant from Indian magazines. They have a very sex oriented ad campaign portraying AXE to attract women. These are both based around the Indian festivals Dassera and Gokulashtimi.



The guy in the picture is representing Ravana, the 10 headed demon, whose effigy they burn during the Dassera festival. It’s a pretty cool tie in making the other heads all chicks inn his bed.

I am not really familiar with this festival but I think the guys usually climb on each others shoulders to retrieve a clay pot filled with cash and milk. This is also a pretty cool twist. Although I personally do not use aerosol deodorant, I think these ads are pretty fuckin smart. I am heading out to a factory today that makes video arcade games so this might just be fun. If a deal goes through I am going to try and secure a pinball machine for myself at cost.