Fevicol: Drifting bond

Making a comeback after two years, the new campaign for Fevicol Marine shifts focus from the functional aspect to create an emotional connect.

Remember the famous line 'Dum laga ke haisha', which made Fevicol a household name? Pidilite Industries has used the famous slogan from time to time to promote the parent brand as well as its variants such as Fevicol Marine. Making a comeback after two years, the new campaign for Fevicol Marine shifts focus from the functional aspect to create an emotional connect, in line with Fevicol's tone and humour.

Conceptualised by Ogilvy, the television commercial shows a boatman rowing a boat filled to capacity with wooden chairs. As he rows through the water, an old man waves for a ride. The boatman subtly gestures a refusal, citing lack of space. The old man then clarifies that it's his young daughter who wants to travel. After a look at the young girl, the boatman stops the boat and offers her a ride. He gradually kicks stacks of chairs into the water to make room for her, her goat and her stack of hay, and continues the journey with the chairs in the water, fastened to the boat with a rope.

Throughout the TVC, a Bangla boul folk song plays in the background. At the end, the film reinforces the promise of a strong bond with Fevicol Marine, and a voiceover that says, "Fevicol Marine, wohi mazboot jod, paani mein bhi."

Anil Jayaraj, chief marketing officer, Pidilite Industries, explains, "While the first campaign highlighted the functional aspect of the variant, this time we wanted to create an emotional connect and also maintain the tradition of Fevicol's ads, as Marine is a variant of Fevicol. We wanted to keep the campaign very endearing and at the same time, talk about the brand proposition."

Commenting on the concept, Piyush Pandey, executive chairperson and creative director, Ogilvy & Mather South Asia, says, "Keeping in mind the tone and manner that Fevicol has had for the last 20 years, this Fevicol Marine campaign captures the spirit of India, borrows from India and therefore becomes a part of the fabric of India like all Fevicol ads have been."

Sticky effect

The TVC draws a mixed review from the advertising fraternity. While one group feels that it lives up to the old Fevicol TVCs, others opine that it fails to create the old charm.

Ferzad Variyava, executive creative director, Publicis Ambience, says, "It's not an enviable job to be in the shoes of the team following up on Fevicol's spectacular work. That said, the new film does display a robust effort in trying to entertain us. I liked the track. I liked the 'Somewhere in the Sunderbans' kind of setting. The casting and performances fit the bill. Was the film up there with the other Fevicol films? I sorely wished. But even though it lacked the big bang/twist/charm of the older films, this is still a sweet film that brings a smile to the face."

"Strategically, all Fevicol campaigns are always about a simple and sharp positioning done in the typically unique Fevicol manner - and so is the case here. This TVC is a case of great story-telling with authentic Bengal flavour. It keeps the first time viewers intrigued about the brand till the final frame and made me feel like watching it again and again. Overall, it works for me!" remarks Meraj Hasan, vice-president, strategic planning, Everest Brand Solutions.