Einstein’s IQ, at the click of a remote button

Being Einstein, it seems, is child’s play. With due respect to the scientist, Rediffusion DY&R has created a commercial for Tata Sky’s Actve Whizkids, which explores that thought in a tongue in the cheek manner.

For the uninitiated, Actve Whizkids is an interactive application offered by Tata Sky, targeted at 4-6 year olds. It employs the concept of teaching English, general knowledge and mathematics through interactive games (led by a remote control). Lately, Tata Sky has been concentrating on advertising its interactive services one by one; the earlier ads were for Actve Sports and Actve Games.

“Actve Whizkids is an ‘edutainment’ application that enables children to take their schoolwork home in an entertaining manner,” says Vikram Mehra, head, consumer marketing, Tata Sky. “It is one of our main interactive services—a key driver for Tata Sky as a whole.”

Rediffusion was faced with the task of bringing out the notion that this application helps develop a young child’s intelligence. Thus emerged the ‘genius’ concept.

As the story progresses, the kids exhibit excellence in whatever they do, be it physical training in the playground, playing on the see-saw or other regular school activities. Finally, when the bell rings signifying the end of school time, a kid’s voiceover concludes, ‘Ab bachcha bachcha banega Einstein jaisa genius, Tata Sky ke Actve Whizkids se (Now, every kid will become a genius like Einstein with the help of Tata Sky’s Actve Whizkids).’ The ‘jingalala’ tagline completes the commercial.

“When one says the word ‘genius’, the first name that comes to mind is Albert Einstein,” says Ashish Khazanchi, executive creative director, Rediffusion DY&R. That’s how the iconic Einstein became the embodiment of everything that Actve Whizkids stands for.

Khazanchi adds that in a way, the ‘genius’ idea emerged from the name of the application itself (‘Whizkid’ meaning an intelligent child). Interestingly, the commercial was conceived almost two years ago, even before Tata Sky was formally launched in 2006, when the agency was first told about its various applications.

As the application is for preschoolers and early school-goers, the ad is targeted at parents, particularly mothers. That’s why the ad airs often during the afternoon soaps. As per research conducted by Tata Sky, mothers worry about their children spending too much time away from studies. Therefore, the need to address their apprehensions. However, to increase awareness amongst kids, the ad will also air on kids’ channels and during cartoon programmes on GECs (general entertainment channels).

According to Mehra of Tata Sky, Actve Whizkids’ chief advantage is that it is interactive. “While channels such as Discovery and National Geographic are educative, they are seldom interactive,” he explains. “Further, computer and video games enjoy low penetration, which is where a television platform is different.”

Though it is an educational offering, it was important that the ad not present itself as preachy or boring. So, it has been kept light and humorous in tone and in line with the whole ‘jingalala’ language that the mother brand, Tata Sky, has adopted.

The ad was directed by Ram Madhvani of Equinox Films at Robert Money School in Mumbai (called Saint Joseph’s High School in the ad). “There’s this golden thumb rule: ‘The more ridiculous an idea, the more real you have to make it’,” says Madhvani. Thus, the kids were shown doing all the activities like it comes naturally to them to perform exemplarily.

The background track was composed by composers Vishal-Shekhar.

© 2007 agencyfaqs!