Zip, Zap and Zoozoo

June 03, 2009 36 Comments



Indian Premier League aka IPL, has stirred many storms in the teacups of Indian cricket and media. From frenzy advertisement to back burner gossips, big buyouts to even bigger controversies, IPL season 2 went out [out to SA] to become a bigger Hit than season 1.

The event didn’t end up being a mere sports event. IT has metamorphosed cricket into a bigger industry with Bollywood, corporate, media et all, openly lurking with ladles to sink their teeth deeper in the hot ‘IPL’ pie. IPL turned into India’ first step in $103 billion merchandising and licensing business.

In a cricket crazy nation like India, IPL was served “nimbu maar ke”. From the innovative 20-20 concept to interesting multi-nation, multiplayer concept to an extra garnish of celebrit-ism to feisty cheerleaders. Everything about IPL rocked, rocketed and created fireworks.

Such was the magnitude of the game that even the little commercial breaks created ripples.
The game has not just given a fresh lease of life to the careers of aging celebrities, but it had also instilled life to some ‘fictitious characters’ making them bigger celebrities, overnight.

Just to recall, what was your main star attraction this season? Was it Kolkata Knight Riders, Shilpa Shetty-her beau-Rajasthan Royals, Mumbai Indian’ Idea, Zingy Ms. Ziety Printa [oops Preity Zinta] or Katrina Kaif’s Jai ho? Or is it that blogs which created havoc in WebSphere? Or is it the fighting, grumbling, screaming, giggling, teasing aliens like creatures during those short commercial breaks?

Yup, I am talking about the Fake IPL player and even superior Zoozoos.

Zoozoo who? The scrawny creatures promoting everything from Cricket alerts, Musical greetings, beauty alerts, live games etc for Vodafone in those commercial breaks. Oh, but they weren't aliens. They were real human beings stuffed into body suits and white plastic fiber heads. The time when I started scribbling this post, they had 10 commercials on the air, promising to reach up to 30. By the time I progressed writing, I lost count.

Had it not been pihu’ quest, I might have not completed this post. Interestingly, he didn’t like the zoozoo character much and still missed the ‘teary-eyed’ pug that Vodafone launched last IPL season.

Coming back to Zoozoos, though there is nothing much left to reveal about them now, I loved the way it stole thunder right under the nose of big celebrities. From “happy to help” to VAS Zoozoos, another feather in the creative caps of Vodafone, taking the company’s brilliant branding to newer heights and how. This crossover of the Casper and Pillsbury characters have over 60000+ fans in Facebook, numerous videos on YouTube and a dedicated microsite by Vodafone.


And not just that when I opened my Orkut account, I saw pictures of a couple of zoozoos adorning my ‘friend’s name’, emoticons, quizzes on Zoozoos. One such was-which kind of Zoozoo are you? If you are expecting the result in this line, well the answer is “Daring” Zoozoo.

Talking about Zoozoo’ popularity, well they seem to be everywhere. From social networking, wallpapers, ringtones, games to local ice cream parlor to PETA awards.

Zoozoo is definitely a brilliant leap in Indian advertising. It has apparently bought back “Satyajit Ray’s” ‘Ang’ back from the west. For Indian telecom, it is a par excellent idea to catch eyeballs and grab plummeting telecom ARPU.

For some, it was an interesting watch, for some selling skill and for some a good change from usual cola wars during matches. But for me, it is coming of age of triumph of so-called underdogs [concept and execution taking a backseat with celebrity endorsement]. An eye-opener for celebrity hankering endorsers, advertisers who pay fat cheques [from consumer's money of course] to over-the-top celebrities to endorse their products mindlessly [sans story, sans appeal]

Kudos to Team Ogilvy & Mather’s and Nirvana films for espying such a “fresh breath of air” concept, and a profitable one too!!!

I still love to hummmm these beautiful lines from one of my most favorite ad campaign of all times…
Every day I want to fly stay by my side…
Every day I want to dream stay by my side…
Every morning I wish I could just play….
Wish the mornings would just stay…

Cheerz!!!

The autor is half Human, half machine. Go Figure or just revel in what I write

36 comments:

  1. nice post..and yes i too love zoozoo..

    but dear, i am intrigued. what is it, that you do? you seem to have an across the board knowledge of what you are talking about. i mean in a single post you start with IPL, dish out the size of global merchandising industry, talk about zoozoos(i didnt even know the name), PETA, satyajit ray and even discuss the people who created and filmed zoozoo ads. and you manage to do all this while continuously sprinkling some really relevant hyperlinks. i mean i know what arpu means, but i dont talk in these terms..

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  2. Fantabulous..I love all the commercials from Vodafone. Incl the very first "hutch one" too.

    Pugsy dear is being missed...and i never knew about this ang character...so you saying ET=Ang? Amazing!!!

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  3. I love the zoozoos n u r absolutely ryt...Vodafone has always had brilliant commercials...the cuteness of the lil girl n the pug ad is legendary:)

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  4. Hi Piyush

    Thanks for writing in. To answer your question, am a fun loving business analyst who loves marketing, branding and adverstising.

    I have younger cousin/niece also reading to my post, so in order to make them simple..i search links and add..you see.

    Let me know if u follow my blogs on daily basis and want me to touch on any particular topic, will try doing that [helps me in brushing my skills too :)] take care and keep writing!!!

    @ Mayank
    Thanks. As i always say, If you could have highlighted what made u feel amazing...that would be good hel. Thanks anyways :)

    @ sanchi
    Click the ang wala link, you will know. And yes Ang=ET. hai na amazing:)

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  5. @ CN

    Hey i completely agree with you. In fact I love all their ads...Pug one was a "Class"! :)

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  6. nice post and ya zozzooo rock!!

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  7. Apart from Zoozoos, 'thanda matlab coca cola' and 'panch matlab coke' ads were awesome!

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  8. Damn these ad people are so insanely creative dunno how they come up with these ideas.

    Kudos for your wonderful effort in covering all aspects of "zoozoos" and adding all those links. got lots of gyaan!!

    tc

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  9. @ Rahul

    Hey thanks...Keep writing... Its a delight to see new visitors :-)

    @Debby
    Yup...Cola wars were very interesting watch those days...these days except for few, that punch is missing. What say?

    @ Hemish
    Thanks Buddy. i am glad that you like the content...keep writing

    Have fun!!!

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  11. Hey good blog u got here...nd this post is on a pet theme of mine! IPL and zoozoos...I used to wait for those ads. If ur posts are this well researched,u must b ne hellova biz analyst! Keep it goin.

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  12. no doubt zoozoos has opend a new chapter in the field of advertisment .congrets and love to all zoozoos and creaters.
    jhallevichar.blogspot.com

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  13. HEy Zoozoo fan...hope my blog treated u well when u came over. ;-)

    Did u know Zoozoos r going to have their cousins bought in the next IPLs? Shhhhhhhhh that's a secret. But now U knw it. Dnt tell no one yet.

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  15. Hiya...just came across yur blog..ya ya vodafone indeed is far better in marketting than Airtel(which is surviving if not for AR Rahman's tune) , like so is the PUG and now ZOOZOO, well most of them liked the ads instead of the cricket....and yu spotted them well !! he he do write something abt SRK...i think yu'd do a good job in it....nice writy! :0

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  16. @ Akshaya
    Girl you made my day!!! I am still flashing my pale white teeth :) lolz...

    Thanks for liking it and showering so much of adulation...am touched...stay posted...have fun:)
    Hope to see more from you in future.

    @Jamos jhalla
    Thanks. keep visiting :0)

    @ Anand
    Thanks...the secret remains sealed!!!

    Yup been to ur blogs...treated well :) Keep visiting. Will add u in my blogroll

    @Hary
    thanks a ton...will keep that in mind and come up soon with something worthy...keep visiting.. See ya:)

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  17. Really nice one...I really liked this point of view u shared...
    Adding u in my blog list to read more from you!!!

    My blog is http://rahul-bhattacharya.blogspot.com/ :)

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  18. Nice post (BTW what was this all about?)... But part of it went over by to-be-bald-in-another-five-years head. No seriously, nice opst... a'la page 3 eshtyle... But i have read enough of zoozoo that i have started to ponder if its all going a bit over board? What was so great with that ad? what was so FRESH and HONEST and so much gaga stuff? i fail to understand? Just hype or a case of one eyed man ruling the blinds? cheers

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  19. sorry for being so cynical, but i felt it to be not half as creative and innovative as fevicol, amul, cadbery dairymilk, bru, some of the cola ads, hamara bajaj, etc. i think the egg shape did the trick, ode to all the egg lovers:))

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  20. My nephew freaks out completely whenever this Vodafone ad comes

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  21. nice post, and yes ZOOZOOS really stole the show.

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  22. Hi...good to see new visitors around...keep coming:)

    @Rahul
    Hi thanks for wrirting in...I have been to your blogs...good ones..will add them too. Keep writing. You can join me at my blogs' follower's list from where you can get alerts on new post etc...take care.

    @ Zillion big
    Well all feedbacks are important. I do agree with ur choice of other ads...well i liked zoozoo and there are many who dont, but thats fine. We all entitled to have our own views. cheers :)

    @Pesto Sauce
    I know, my nephew too and so do my granny.... lolz :-) Keep writing

    @ Sonu Anand
    Thanks :)

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  23. You have already become so popular....

    I too have liked the Zooo....Zooo add specially the backward break dance, roaming to Paris.

    Talking about the adds, yes I too miss the Pug.....and taking more about the advertisement,I loved the Cadbury add where a girl dodges the security personal and enters the cricket stadium dancing, and then Dabur Lal Dant Manjan - Raju Tumhare Daat to Motiyon jaise Chamak rahe hain.....

    But I must say, you have a knack of making a great writing also out of simple, common and casual conversations. Lots to learn from here........

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  24. I love zoozoos too..i endured the IPL just so that i cld catch the zoozoo ads!!

    First time here...loved it :)

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  25. Rahul, you are spoiling me rottens..hehe :)

    @ Shanu
    Hi, great to see here and glad that u liked it too...keep visiting.

    BTW i loved that squish thing in ur profile.

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  26. (taking notes...) :)
    Reading your posts certainly reminded me of some of my text books.
    You're involved in some Analysis(marketing/biz) Field aren't you?

    "Numerounity isn't just a name, It's an Ideal"(Dphat)

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  27. Zipping and gripping!!!

    Howver i dodnt liked zoozoo much in begining but later grown fond...Keep up the good work!!!

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  28. It was really nice. Booker is not too far

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  29. I came back reread my comment, and then i found your answer.very sensible reply, i must admit.Its not that i didnt like the ads. i am sure there would be hardly anyone who wouldnt have liked it.it had some disneyish charm, very simple humour and anyone can relate to it.It conveyed the message and did a good job at what it was supposed to do. in that sense its a great ad. i guess thats enough to touch the right chord. Yes, thats what i was coming to, it has hit the right chord.

    but talk about creativity, it hasent done something which hasent done before or done something extraordinary.cheers:))

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  30. zoozoo has had a mixed reaction; from amongst the people that I interact, I found that while young people did like it, most middle-aged people did not. Are the advertisements not supposed to address all?

    ashok

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  31. @ Dphatsez AKA Arun

    Yup you guessed it right :)
    Btw thanks for such a lovely quote on Numerounity:)

    @ Sanchi
    Thanks again :)

    @ Abhilash
    Finally you made it buddy!!! Oh yes, tere muh mein nariyal-shakkar..for the booker's joke..hee he:)

    @Zillionbig
    I guess it has touched atl least some chord nice. The thing that i was more happy for Zoozoo was the fact that advertisers have used some brains at least rather than using a stupid celebrity like SRK doing the gig as he does for airtel;)

    @ Ashok chacha [i guess]
    Finally!!! thanks :)

    Well yeah it did striked a disliking chord to some...But talking about receptivity, it was well accepted by ppl of middle aged and even old aged too.. Well some ads esp like VAS etc has a target audience, and advertising for "one solution fit all" may dilute the objectivity. What say? :)

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  32. For me it was a good relief to see something better than the same age old celebrities dancing and talking about the products. Zoozoo's(love them!!) have created a new dimension in the add world and Vodafone timed it well with the IPL-2.

    Nice post and love the way how you touched couple of things and kept the theme intact.

    Keep Rocking,
    Prasant.

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  33. Thanks Prashant. Keep Visiting!!! :)

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  34. you changed your profile picture?
    wow, i mean WOW, you are a stunner.absolute gorgeous.

    why don't you try films?
    NO, i am not flirting, :)))

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  35. @ Zillionbig

    Hehe sure...you make a good movie/ ad, will feature!!!

    BTW where are thou?

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