Here at IdeaReader.com, we pick on ads by Pakistani Ads and write critical reviews, which you will enjoy if you are into advertising, marketing, brand management or someone perusing business studies. If you are new and want to get these reviews into your reader, subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!

Client: UrbanToes
Agency: Red Communications
Campaign: New Summer Style

Review: Rarely in the Pakistani advertising arena, I see brands and their agencies coming out of the the norm, be different and daring. This ad is one such example. From the concept to the final execution, everything is so well aligned and put together such beautifully that  you cant not be amused. The fonts, the color, the overall feeling is just perfect.

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• 0 Comments

Client: Pakistan International Airlines (PIA)
Campaign: PIA Cargo Service

Review: Delivering the Essence of Pakistan. The ad is about PIA’s cargo service, which is targeted towards exporters in Pakistan. The caption line, and the background color  in the ad are totally not up to the mark. Where did this dark blue came from in a PIA ad? Then so much focus on the word “Essence” is not clear to me. It’s good that PIA is coming out positively again but the ad doesn’t conveys even that feeling properly.

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• 2 Comments

Client: Trakker Direct Insurance
Campaign: Our Innovations Inspire Others

Review: Another ad telling you ” hey you people, we are the lords”. I don’t get who comes up with such ideas, when the task is to build a positive corporate brand image. And as the rule goes, when you start on the wrong foot, you get everything wrong. From the concept, to copy to the image used, everything is just plain wrong. Like the image tells me that someone traveled through this sea-shore and then what? Got drowned into that Sea? A very bad, arrogant and lousy effort.

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• 1 Comment

Client: Ufone (Pakistan Telecommunications Company Ltd)
Campaign: Ufone Stocks - Get stock updates on your mobile phone

Review: Ufone is now offering a great new service. By downloading a small mobile application on your phone, you can get live updates from the stock market on your mobile phone. Great for busy stock traders on the run, and also for people who invest in stocks while doing other jobs.

The ad is fairly good one. Manages to convey the message well. The caption Stock Market Chale Aap Ke Saath could have been better, this one sounds very run of the mill. Overall a good ad and hopefully a good service.

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• 4 Comments

Client: Environment and Alternative Energy Department, Govt of Sindh
Campaign: World Environment Day 2008

Review: Kimco Advertising, the agency behind the ad have come up with a nice and eye catching ad for the world environment day 2008. Firstly it feels nice to see a government agency coming out with a creative and friendly message for the masses. The ad is both in English and Urdu versions.

The design, copy and uniqueness is out there. The illustration used for the tree and the message clouds are particularly eye catching. A good ad overall.

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• 0 Comments

Client: Pakistan Telecommunication Company Ltd.
Campaign: Free Dialup for Broadband Users

Review: So you have subscribed to PTCL Broadband services and PTCL is now offering you Free Dialup internet service for free 24/7. Why? I ask. When I have a 24/7 broadband, why would I need to use the dialup connection even if it’s free? I don’t get it.

Coming back to the ad, I think it’s pretty good, how the designer has played with the free word in Urdu and used those sockets is fun and fresh. The copy under that is well, not too persuasive and does not exactly conveys or answers the question, Why do broadband users need a dialup connection?

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• 2 Comments

Client: Medicam Dental Cream
Campaign: Khalil Ahmed Nanitalwala and Shahrukh Khan

Review: For some time I was so desperately waiting for some ad to fall into my “trap” or category of worst print ads and YAY! I have a contender today. A few months ago, I was going through daily Jang, and I saw this advetorial, placed intelligently like a news item, where they showed Mr. KN giving out the award to Shahrukh Khan. I was like okay whatever! Then after months, like really it has been at least 3 to 4 months since that news appeared, Mr. Khalil thought to bring himself and his brand in the limelight again by publishing a proper ad showing the same event.

Okay I know there are millions of people that like SRK in Pakistan (I am one of them too) but 100 bucks say that SRK doesn’t even know about this ad. Isn’t this a classic case of deception. And seriously, what’s so cool about “giving” an award to Shahrukh Khan, who might have out of courtesy or diplomacy agreed to accept it. It’s not as if he is shown using it or endorsing it. The ad’s copy and design are pathetic. Bad English and grammar.

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• 1 Comment

Client: Shera Building Materials (Ennvision Group)
Agency: Awan Brand com
Campaign: Extraordinary materials, endless possibilities

Review: This is an ad by SHERA (I like the brand name) building materials. The company offers all kinds of quality building material under one roof. I think with the massive real estate development market in Pakistan, the brand and the products have good chances.

The ad is overall neat and clean, althogh its loaded with content, content and content. It almost looks like the homepage of a busy web portal. But I guess it still manages to come clean and is readable. I particulary dont like this caption line ” Extraordinary materials, endless possibilities” it sounds unbelievable. Materials are NOT extra ordinary and again, the end possibilities phrase is also vague. You would think since they have so much information to share, you could expect to see a website full of content, how to’s etcetera. But no there is no web address to follow.

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• 0 Comments

Client: UBL Fund Managers
Agency: Synergy Advertising
Campaign: Invest now to avail up to Rs.60,000 tax credit

Review: UBL Fund Managers, a UBL company, entices its potential customers to invest and get a 60,000 rupees tax credit. Though this is all financial jargon and Greek to someone who is not aware and interested, the ad looks credible and reliable. The testimonial is also used well along with the picture, only if they could tell where and for who this guy show in the testimonial works for, the ad would have looked awesome. Who knows if he is a UBL Fund Manager employee? or just a model? You might guess.

The sms and find more information is the best thing about the ad. I really like the quick call to action factors like this, that make the ad persuasive and also measurable.

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• 2 Comments

Client: Pakistan Telecommunications Company Ltd
Agency: Interflow Communications
Campaign: Free Local Calls

Review: By increase local call rate charges, PTCL now wants to “make up” by offering free calls in late night. From your PTCL number to  any  PTCL number, you can call for free all night.  Obviously  they think it’s  the  best things since  sliced bread,  so they made this HUGE announcement “Free Local Calls”. Well since now the cellular companies are also offering late night calling options for free, it’s not such big a deal.

The ad is good overall and serves the purpose of announcing the offer pretty well. The color scheme could have been better and in-line with the brand’s identity.

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• 1 Comment