Havells: Flowery proposal

Havells' new television campaign is based on the idea of demonstrating the advantages of a product, in this case the newly launched mixer-grinder.

Product demonstration always stands a better chance of leaving a mark. The new campaign from Havells India, which promotes the newly launched mixer-grinder, showcases the advantages of the machine in a typically Havells way.

The television commercial (TVC)
shows a housewife steaming idlis (rice cakes) - one of the most preferred breakfast dishes in South India. The idlis are then carried by a small boy and to everyone's surprise, the idlis are used by the family members as a substitute for flowers, to decorate the entire house for an auspicious occasion.

A Vijay Narayanan, vice-president, Havells India, says, "Basically, the idea was to promote the newly introduced mixer-grinder, which has a powerful motor along with a tougher grinder. As 70 per cent of the mixer-grinder market is dominated by South India, the TVC mainly targets women down South. Idli is a very popular dish there and hence we further toyed with the idea."

Sriram Iyer, creative head, Delhi, Lowe Lintas & Partners, explains, "The thumb rule for all Havells advertisement is to talk about the product benefit. In this case, it was the mixer-grinder that the company wanted to promote. Being a South Indian has some benefits, especially in case of knowing the food of the state. In Tamil Nadu, people want very soft idlis, so much so that there is an expression, 'Maligapoo Madiri', used to describe idlis which are as soft as jasmine flowers. And for such soft idlis, the batter has to be very finely ground. For this, one needs a mixer-grinder. It is here that the mixer-grinder from Havells plays a very pertinent role."

The TVC is currently on air across various channels.

True to promise

Industry experts give thumbs up to the television commercial and feel that the TVC depicts the product value interestingly.

Sambit Mohanty, executive creative director, Bates opines that Havells has stood out as a brand largely due to its quirky advertising. According to him, this advertisement is proof that product windows do not make a commercial, rather the idea does.

"Everybody wants their idlis soft and fluffy, so 'phool jaise idli' is a nice idiom and it's been used well in this television commercial for Havells mixer-grinders. What I liked is the over-the-top execution and the funky Carnatic sax - makes it just perfect," adds Mohanty.

"A wonderful and sharp insight that transforms a very regional insight into an equally fantastic creative. It's memorable and effective at the same time, and manages to capture the functionality of the category in an effective yet interesting manner. The new age twist to a traditional Carnatic soundtrack is the icing on the cake. All in all, a fantastic creative piece!" says Vivek Dutta, vice-president, planning, Cheil Worldwide SW Asia.