I’ve been meaning do this one for a while and I finally got around it (#mecool). Waves of the ‘naam hee kaafi hai’ a phrase we use as an expression in everyday life, has turned over a new leaf. And the brand shows that transformation in their ad as well (or I’m reading too much into it). Launching a teaser first with an old dadi (Bushra Ansari) cribbing and nagging the family, as dadis often do, they announce something cool is coming.
Then they launch the ad. The nagging dadi goes into the kitchen opens the deep freezer and is slayed by the coolness emanating from it so much so that she embodies it. Cut to dadi, aka Bushra Ansari, transforms into ‘dadi cool’ and breaks into a song without a link to what brought it on. There is no connection between the old and new dadi or why does she felt the need to be cool? Just a line from one of the grandchildren, “be cool dadi” could have done the trick. That’s a missing link.
Props to Bushra Ansari for embodying the coolness, but for such a versatile actress we expect nothing less. She doesn’t look forced, in fact, she seems to be having a lot of fun. The lyrics contradict the story where she says, ‘mera hee chalta hai rule…’, but just a few seconds ago no one was listening to you, dadi, remember?
In the end the family makes some awkwardly ‘cool’ poses that make the dadi look even cooler, while I wonder why the ad is calling on the 90s and not the 00s. Why couldn’t dadi have been millennial cool – headphones around the neck, modern jacket, chic glares, no bangs? Right now, it looks to me like Waves was cool in the 90s and is now trying to fit in with the youngsters.
There are a lot of sites lauding the idea (paid content?) It’s different, yes, but that’s about it. This could have been so much better if they would have just not released it as an ad, but as digital gimmick. An app or a site that lets you style the dadi and then make her do your favourite move – macarena, gangnam, the git up. What works for the ad is Bushra Ansari appearing so active, young, and fun. This was casting well done.
Though there is one thing I really want to stress on about this ad. No matter which angle you look at it from this is ad has nothing to do with women empowerment. Why do I randomly say that? I don’t. Parhlo does in their analysis of the ad. This ad simply counters the stereotypical image we have of grandmothers and turns it on its head. Not everything is layered and not everything needs to have to work towards an agenda.
Like all brands, of course this too comes with a free hashtag. #Dadicool hasn’t really picked up yet, though it’s still early in the game. Let’s give it time. In case you like the song and makes your wet dreams come true the full version is available on Patari.
