Ad with errors: An expensive mistake for Uber India?

According to industry estimates, the brand is believed to have spent between Rs 3-5 crore overall on the print ad campaign

e4m by Misbaah Mansuri
Published: Dec 9, 2019 8:59 AM  | 6 min read
Uber Newspaper Ad Mistake

A print spot by ride-hailing company-Uber India is being trolled on Twitter for its erroneous copy. The ads with glaring errors were published on the front page of leading dailies like Times of India, Hindustan Times, etc in editions like Mumbai, Delhi, Gujarat, among others. The print ads were rolled out by the brand to put the spotlight on its inter-city service offerings.

While the ad in the Delhi edition of HT had grammatical errors like ‘planning to head to the Delhi’ and ‘anytime’ instead of any time, the Mumbai edition of TOI had Bhimsankar spelt as Bhimsankari with similar grammatical errors. And ever since it has appeared, Twitter has been abuzz with comments on the same. While some users have been calling it out as incompetence at multiple levels in a broken client-agency workflow system, others have pointed out that it could be edgy bait advertising to multiply the brand’s social media engagement. Some even questioned the brand’s creative agency-Ogilvy & Mather India, however in response to exchange4media’s query, O&M clarified that the work has not been done by the agency. 

According to industry estimates, the brand is pegged to have spent between Rs 3-5 crore overall on the print ad campaign. We asked industry observers how much this expensive mistake would cost Uber India.

According to Prathap Suthan, Managing Partner and Chief Creative Officer, Bang In The Middle, this is a collective blunder as the onus is on everyone from the agency who conceptualised it, to the brand-marketing team. Suthan feels that while it won’t take the sheen away from the brand or agency, it reflects the team’s laziness and ignorance that in turn reflects poorly on Uber India.

He observes, “The purists and the grammar nazis will have good laugh and that’s roughly the end of it. However, that doesn’t condone Uber or the agency from turning up with this mistake. Everyone who was part of the process - from the junior-most servicing person to the senior-most Creative Director on the brand are responsible. Don’t tell me none of them can’t read. Everyone was lazy and therefore accountable. Not just the poor copywriter who’d be in shambles. I would even hold the marketing people at Uber equally responsible. Their job isn’t to blindly pass the artwork on to the newspaper. They have an equal role to check and spot errors in the material that’s going out. Overall, it’s a collective blunder. And everyone in the brand team, both agency and client, are singularly and collectively at fault. “

Samit Sinha, Managing Partner, Alchemist Brand Consulting remarks it might be temporary but what makes it a severe embarrassment for Uber is that the ad fiasco has been picked up on social media. “This obviously is one hugely careless oversight. “Either the “the” before Delhi or perhaps a missing word like “pollution” or “traffic” or “winter” that was originally intended to come after Delhi but got omitted last minute for whatever reason. I suspect it was the latter, and they inadvertently left in the intruding “the” in the process. Despite the fact that it was a front-page full-page advertisement, the total amount of time spent on an average reading a newspaper is a mere few minutes. And advertisements, unless of course if great personal interest to the reader, merit hardly a glance. So the chances are that to the overwhelming majority of readers it would go unnoticed or be unremarkable at most. However, it doesn’t speak well of the agency and the final approving authority to have let it slip,” notes Sinha.

The company this year mounted a massive advertising as well as reward-based campaign for the ICC Cricket World Cup and leveraged IPL too in a big way. The brand also spends heavily on television and OOH advertising.

Harish Bijoor, Founder, Harish Bijoor Consults Inc, opines that this is an expensive error for sure. “The copywriter may as well have written, "the Dehli"! It sure is a bit of egg on Uber's face!!! These mistakes happen. They mustn’t. But they do but this too shall pass,” says Bijoor.

Meanwhile, Brand Expert, Gaurav Gulati points out that the truth is at least 5 out of 10 people will only read the headline, and only rest will read the complete advertisement. “If you agree with this golden rule, it should be obvious why the brand needs to focus more on headlines. An advertisement on any platform whether print media or electronic media, is not only the first point of contact for new customers, but also it acts as a gateway for brand positioning and brand revenue. In this competitive world, there is no second chance for the ‘FIRST IMPRESSION.’ Any single error committed by a brand in an advertisement not only costs it its brand reputation but it also negatively affects the image of the advertising platform as well,” remarks Gulati.

Uber India is projected to post revenue of Rs 339 crore for its ride-hailing service and a negative of Rs. 762.5 crore for its food delivery service for the five-month period between August and December 2019. The brand has finalised a four-fold expansion of its operations in the country from 52 cities to 200 by the end of next year. The key driver of this expansion will be not car-hailing but bike-taxi service, which was launched in India in July this year. Such service has been rolled out in 30 cities, doing over 150,000 trips a day, though it is not there in the big states of Maharashtra and Karnataka, where it is working through regulations. 

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PepsiCo India expands Sizzlin' Hot platform with new TVC

The TVC portrays reactions that unfold when people snack on to the Sizzlin' Hot range

By e4m Staff | Sep 26, 2023 2:38 PM   |   2 min read

Lays

PepsiCo India has introduced a new TVC to celebrate the expansion of its Sizzlin' Hot platform. This fiery TVC features the complete Sizzlin’ Hot range, including Lay's, Kurkure, and Doritos, while highlighting the irresistible heat-packed experience each product offers.

The TVC portrays a spectrum of reactions that unfold when people snack onto the irresistible Sizzlin' Hot range. Set against a backdrop of diverse scenes, including cozy living rooms, bustling offices, and vibrant public spaces, each moment captures their unfiltered, spontaneous responses to the fiery spiciness. From frantically searching for something cool to shedding tears and energetically sprinting in search of relief, this engaging sequence of genuine and humorous reactions serves as a mirror, reflecting the surprise that awaits anyone who takes their first bite of Sizzlin' Hot.

Commenting on the Sizzlin’ Hot range expansion and launch of the TVC, Anshul Khanna, Vice President and Foods Category Head of India and South Asia, PepsiCo said, "Last year, we introduced one of our most successful global platforms, Sizzlin’ Hot in India and have witnessed an overwhelming response. As we approach the festive season, we're thrilled to announce the expansion of the platform with localised flavours for the unique Indian spice palate across our beloved brands, including Lay’s Maxx, Kurkure, and Doritos Dinamita. The launch will be accompanied by a comprehensive 360-degree marketing campaign that is sure to get people to intrigued about the fiery range. We hope that consumers love this new range and continue to spice up their snacking occasions."

“The Sizzlin’ Hot flavour is available in 3 formats – Kurkure, Lays and Doritos. No matter which one you pick up, the fiery taste is likely to make you react in unexpected ways. From fiery exclamations to bizarre sounds, the execution of the TVC brings together a gamut of expressions in a way that you can’t help but watch it again. Pretty much like the product, that you can’t help but eat another”, added Vikram Pandey (Spiky), National Creative Director, Leo Burnett India.

The TVC will be supported by a 360-degree surround campaign.

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SRK & Rashmika Mandanna add flavours to Prabhuji Sweets and Namkeens campaign

The campaign consists of five films

By e4m Staff | Sep 26, 2023 2:29 PM   |   1 min read

SRK

Prabhuji Sweets and Namkeens has unveiled a collaboration with Shah Rukh Khan and Rashmika Mandanna.

The five-film campaign explores the rich legacy of Bhujia.

Speaking about this collaboration, Manish Agarwal, Managing Director of Prabhuji Sweets and Namkeens, expressed his enthusiasm, saying, "We are thrilled to have partnered with two of the most iconic figures in the Indian film industry, Shah Rukh Khan and Rashmika Mandanna. This collaboration not only showcases our commitment to providing authentic Indian flavours to the world but also celebrates our rich heritage and the love our customers have shown us over the years. We believe these films will resonate with people across the globe and inspire them to savour the taste of India."

Elaborating on the creative journey, Smriti Sharma Bhaskar, Chief Creative Officer at Collective Creative Labs, remarked, "This campaign transcends the mere promotion of products; it is an endeavor to evoke emotions, stir nostalgia, and forge a lasting connection between Prabhuji and our audience. It pays homage to India's rich heritage and flavors, pays tribute to those daily moments when we relish these delicacies, and celebrates the harmonious coexistence of tradition and modernity. The presence of Shah Rukh and Rashmika has added an extraordinary charm to this endeavor."

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Kellogg’s launches chocolate muesli with new TVC

The campaign has been conceptualised by Ogilvy

By e4m Staff | Sep 26, 2023 10:42 AM   |   2 min read

kelloggs

Kellogg’s has announced the launch of Kellogg’s Chocolate Muesli with the tagline, Mmmmuesli.

The brand has rolled out an extensive multi-media communication campaign, conceptualised by Ogilvy, for the launch.

The 360-degree campaign for Kellogg’s Chocolate Muesli, infused with rich indulgent chocolate, is being launched across various media channels, including TV, outdoor, digital platforms like YouTube and other social media channels.

The campaign includes a TVC featuring a delightful breakfast moment between a father and his teenage daughter as they enjoy the Kellogg’s Chocolate Muesli. Conceptualized by Ogilvy, the video ad reflects the exact response from the creative team when they initially tasted the product: “Mmmmmmmm….”

Sharing insights about the newly launched product, Vinay Subramanyam, Senior Director of Marketing, Kellogg South Asia, said, "We understand that taste plays a pivotal role in our daily food choices. Kellogg’s Chocolate Muesli is by leaps and bounds the tastiest Muesli one can have. One can spend a lot of time describing why this blend of multigrain, fruits, nuts and seeds and chocolate is so delectable. It is beautifully baked, is astonishingly crunchy and tastes great as a breakfast and equally awesome when you have it with dessert. However, true pleasure is felt and not described, and therefore we all unanimously agreed that the proposition should be the simple expression of Mmmmuesli.”

Rohit Devgun, Executive Creative Director, Ogilvy India spoke about the inspiration behind the idea, “Chocolate in a breakfast bowl isn’t normal. So why would someone eating it express the same normally? That is what we captured with our new campaign. That this rich, chocolatey deliciousness doesn’t make your taste buds just go mmmmmm, it makes them go mmmmmuesli. An idea that travels across mediums with a unique sensorial expression for a unique breakfast product.”

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Poonawalla Fincorp film is a quirky take on how people take loans

Poonawalla Fincorp film is a quirky take on how people take loans The ‘Log toh Sawaal Karenge Hi’ campaign has two short films

By e4m Staff | Sep 25, 2023 3:25 PM   |   2 min read

Poonawalah

Poonawalla Fincorp Limited, a Cyrus Poonawalla group promoted non-banking finance company, launched the digital campaign ‘Log toh Sawaal Karenge Hi’. With this new campaign, Poonawalla Fincorp throws light on how people end up taking loans at high interest and pay higher EMIs despite having good credit behaviour and high credit scores. This campaign is targeted at borrowers with high credit scores to explore hassle-free loan offers of Poonawalla Fincorp with affordable interest rates, other benefits and to consider transferring their high interest loans to Poonawalla Fincorp.

This campaign has two short humourous and witty films, creating awareness about Poonawalla Fincorp’s capabilities of providing instant & hassle-free loans at low interest rates to people with high credit score through its website, mobile application, or call centre platforms.

Abhay Bhutada, Managing Director, Poonawalla Fincorp, said, “The tendency of high demand for consumer loans during the festive season gets fuelled due to multiple reasons such as home renovations, vacations, weddings, or purchase of consumer durables, etc.

We have observed that during festive season, people end up taking high interest loans without doing proper due diligence despite having a good credit history and high credit score which creates unnecessary burden of paying high EMIs. The purpose of this campaign is to create awareness about how to choose the right loan service provider like Poonawalla Fincorp which can help a borrower to explore best loan offers at attractive interest rates with no hidden charges. We at Poonawalla Fincorp always believe in offering best-in-class customer-centric products and solutions to enable dreams and fulfil the financial needs of our customers. This campaign highlights our value proposition of being the most transparent and end-to-end digital lending NBFC, committed to offer instant hassle-free loans to customers with high credit score.”

 

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Reliance Foundation says #LehraDoTeamIndia at Asian Games

The campaign PV Sindhu, Abhinav Bindra, PR Sreejesh and Sushila Chanu

By e4m Staff | Sep 25, 2023 1:07 PM   |   2 min read

Reliance

Reliance Foundation has launched the #LehraDoTeamIndia campaign to celebrate the Indian athletes and encourage the fans to get behind them with the iconic 'Lehra Do' cry as they aim to seek glory for the nation and make the tricolour fly high in Hangzhou, China.

The campaign features some of India’s most decorated and celebrated athletes as well as athletes who will be appearing at the Asian Games for the first time and have immense promise. Among the stars to feature in the campaign are two-time Olympic medalist PV Sindhu as well as hockey legends PR Sreejesh and Sushila Chanu. It also features veterans Achanta Sharath Kamal (Table Tennis) and Virdhawal Khade (Aquatics), who have represented India at multiple Asian Games. Avinash Sable (Steeplechase) will be looking to add an Asian Games medal to his Commonwealth Games medal from last year, while Tejaswin Shankar (Decathlon) will look to add a decathlon medal to his bronze in high jump from the Commonwealth Games last year.

The campaign also has an eye on the future by including Shaili Singh (Long Jump), Anupama Upadhyaya (Badminton), Simranjeet Kaur (Archery), Mayuri Lute (Cycling) and Yash Tushir (Wrestling), who will all be making their first appearance at the Asian Games but are already among the brightest talents in the country. Abhinav Bindra, the 1st Indian to win an individual Gold at the Olympics, also headlines the campaign.

The campaign has been brought to life by Ogilvy India.

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Infectious Advertising creates launch campaign for Anmol FruitBix

The campaign highlights the product innovation of tutti-frutti

By e4m Staff | Sep 25, 2023 1:02 PM   |   2 min read

Anmol

Infectious Advertising has created and conceptualised the latest campaign for Anmol FruitBix, 'Tutti Frutti ki Baarish'.

Infectious Advertising created the launch campaign for FruitBix, highlighting the product innovation of tutti-frutti. ‘Tutti-Frutti ki Baarish’ captures the joyous mood one feels when one eats the biscuit.

Creative Chairman Ramanuj Shastry and ECD Ashish Naik, speaking about the ad said, “We used the ‘rain of tutti-frutti’ as a metaphor of abundance to create a magical world. We all know how much kids love tutti-frutti and were looking for the most magical and appealing idea when we hit upon the ‘rain’ idea. We had to travel all the way to Jaipur just to get clear skies and to shoot outdoors. It took incredible amounts of post-production to get the right effect, but the final film turned out just fab. Kudos to Vinod P. Vijay, the director, and his team for a great film. Hope it works like gangbusters for the Client.”

Aman Choudhary, Executive Director Marketing & Innovation, Anmol Industries Ltd., says, “The one big draw in the confectionary business is novelty and that is something that we worked really hard on with our internal R&D team. The task from the agency was to exaggerate this feat, which is a first in the category, especially when it comes to biscuits. The intent is to make our audiences fall in love with a familiar taste, all over again.”

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Hamdard Laboratories appoints mSix&Partners as integrated media agency

The agency will handle multi-channel media duties

By e4m Staff | Sep 25, 2023 12:58 PM   |   1 min read

Six

mSix&Partners has won integrated media and social duties for Hamdard Laboratories.

The agency won the account following a competitive multi-agency pitch and will be handling all aspects of media, including TV, print, radio, digital, out-of-home and cinema.

The mandate will cover the medicine portfolio which includes brands like Safi, Cinkara, Roghan Badam, Shirin, Joshina, and more.

Abdul Majeed, Chairman, Hamdard Laboratories (Medicine Division) said, “We found mSix&Partners’ strategic approach quite wholesome. We believe that together, we can achieve our goals.”

Subhamay Mukhopadhyay, Managing Partner, mSix&Partners India, said, "We're thrilled over our alliance with Hamdard Laboratories (Medicine Division) and our shared goal of boosting business success through our diverse teams at mSix&Partners. This partnership allows us to offer complete brand solutions, enhancing customer experiences. With Hamdard's rich heritage and commitment to innovation, we aim to elevate their reputation and contribute to a healthier, thriving community."

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