Everything a Remix ?
Canadian film maker Kirby Ferguson shot to fame with his 2010 documentary that compared creative output over the years and claimed that it was virtually impossible to create something completely new without borrowing, copying or being inspired by existing material.
Hence his suggestion that “everything” was remixed.
Now whether you agree with that, or not, is up to you.
This story, however, is about a famous television commercial that was remixed. Not just once.
And of a few others that tried the remix approach.
Branding A Commodity
India’s National Dairy Development Board had successfully turned around the fortunes of its Dairy industy. By the early 1980s, India’s twin challenges of milk shortages and imports were history, and Amul wasn’t just a famous brand of milk, it was a sign of confidence, and a guarantee of quality to millions of its consumers.
The NDDB had achieved the holy grail that all players in the commodity space aspire to – they’d successfully turned a “boring” staple into a flourishing brand.
And it was this success that fueled their ambitions with another household category under their umbrella.
Cooking Oil.
Agricultural subsidies had helped keep NDDB’s brand – Dhara’s (Stream / Flow) prices low. But they’d also given the brand a distinctly “budget” air.
However, India’s post 1991 entry into the global economic playground meant that government’s tap would eventually be turned off.
And when prices eventually increased, shopper perception couldn’t reconcile the premium with the brand’s “down market” image.
Which resulted in both volume and share losses.
So the NDDB tried to replicate their Amul playbook with oil, and the famous “Jalebi” ad of 1996 was born.
The “Jalebi” Files
The ad featured a little boy running away from home because he’s been at the receiving end of many a ticking off, thanks to his proclivity for getting into trouble. A kindly postman persuades him to reconsider by telling him that his mother is making his favourite “Jalebi” sweet. All ends well with the postman safely bringing him home.
The ad received much love – for both its storyline and the cute protagonist, who went to act in a few movies.
I do remember being surprised at how he’d managed to evade another scolding for having attempted something that harebrained !
Nevertheless, the ad worked.
Dhara’s sales rebounded. And all was well.
Many years later, while thumbing through David Ogilvy’s eponymous book on advertising, I couldn’t help but wonder at this film’s similarities with pictures of another very old ad that stared me in the face.
Remix # 1 : The Hovis Ad
Debuting on British television during the late 70s, this film featured a boy running away to London from home with only a box of sandwiches for luggage. A kindly postman takes him back home after telling him he’ll need many more for this very long journey.
Little runaway boy – friendly postman – rescue based on a food premise – there are too many similarities to suggest anything but that the Dhara ad of 1996 was a “remix” of this one.
Remix #2 : Uber Eats
By 2018, many brands had realized the power of nostalgia and its multi generational appeal. Uber Eats chose to remix the ad from 1996 to “leverage” both.
Based on a similar premise – disagreement – runaway friend – food changing his mind (ordered on Uber Eats), the second remix was probably not as impactful (IMO), because what seems cute on a kid may not translate well onto an adult.
Epilogue
Its not unusual for ads to be remixed – entering into new markets often calls for “glocalizing” existing creative ideas – One prominent example of that is the Michael J Fox – Diet Pepsi film remade by PepsiCo India into the Aamir Khan – “Got a Pepsi” TVC.
Brands may also feel the need to update their “classics” to align them with a newer social context. A famous (and debate inducing) example of such a remix was the Cadbury India film in which the newer version reversed gender roles from their 90s “Dancing Girl” film.
Tricky to pull off, it is much harder to recreate the impact of the original while attempting a remix.
And that probably makes the Hovis – Dhara remix and its subsequent reincarnation a twice born rarity !
Further reading :
The Dhara Ad Story : https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/lesser-known-stories-behind-the-20-year-old-iconic-dhara-jalebi-ad/articleshow/55683572.cms
Nostalgia Redux : https://theprint.in/features/dharas-jalebi-ad-from-the-1990s-still-means-home-and-family/421624/
The Pepsi Ads :
Michael J Fox : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_qykQWQgsc
Aamir Khan : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kw7lMtUks4Y
The Cadbury Ads :
Girl : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7JATezA1nY
Boy : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_OtC06ndUE
The Dhara ad : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhzGDj31CVE