There are only two types of ad that are done in Pakistan – funny or emotional. All big brands are aiming for one of the slots. Statistically speaking the ratio of emo ads to humorous ones is 8:2. Keeping this tradition alive National and Ahmed Foods try to tug at the heart strings in different ways.
National Recipe Mix – Nayi Soch ke Naya Zaiqe
Naya Pakistan calls for nayee soch. You see, if you go with the narrative already in use you have to try less. Couples from three different generations (age groups) are shown cooking in their kitchen, each start with the wife cooking and the husband steps in to help.
Each couple is having fun cooking…well, the husband is having fun cooking and the wife is playing along going lol, lol, lol, all the while thinking, ‘either help or get out, I swear if this camera was not in my face I’d have given you a piece of my mind, you fucking moron!’. Also, do not miss the girl mimicking Salt Bae at 00:16. What better way to stay relevant than channeling a two year old meme.
If National Foods’ nayee sooch also had a naya idea that would have made much, much more sense. No, not the husband cooking for his wife, that’s old too and btw, that hardly ever happens. Ads films are not supposed to be fairy tales, you know, let’s not miss them with big screen films.
Here’s an idea: A like a couple who cooks only for Instagram and have million of followers, that they start getting orders. Boom their passion turns into a business. One day they get a surprise visit from the food inspector and the inspector is willing to endorse the food only if they RT her profile. Kidding. Only mildly.
Ahmed Foods – Zaiqay Ke Zuban
First of all, can we agree on one spelling for the word ‘zaiqay/zaiqe’? Also, ke and ki cannot possibly be spelt the same way. And now that the grammar nazi in me is appeased let’s advance to the ad.
Ahmed Foods went for a more story-based approach. Two women shown amidst our nation’s favourite past time – backbiting. Talking about their new neighbours and how arrogant and into themselves they are as the ads cuts back and forth between them and the couple’s life. The wife is cooking, the husband is tasting, insert quick humour (check), and onto getting affirmations from others, because what is life but a Insta post. The couple takes the cooked dish to the backbiter’s house and over there we find out that the wife is not uptight, but mute. All this premise set just for this one line. ‘Apnay zaiqay se itna kuch keh deyti hai, aur tum kehtay ho ke bolti nahi!’
*slow clap
To show that the masala has a taste that leaves you speechless they made the girl speechless. I bet when the concept was floated the brand managers wet themselves with excitement.
Verdict
National knows the value of hashtags. With the hashtag #NayiSochKeNayeZaiqe they have created a buzz on Twitter and Facebook and earned 5.8k views. Though I would not judge the ad on views just yet because their ad was posted a couple of weeks before Ahmed Foods’ which was posted a few days back and has 9700 views. Ahmed Food has no buzz on social media, just an ad with the ultimate weapon one can wield – hope.
