Stains that Unite

Families comprise of a cocktail of differing and different personalities, bound together (sometimes against their secret wishes) by means of blood. Now, according to the latest ad campaign by Haier for its Haier Duo washing machine, there’s a whole new way to bring these personalities together: by way of stains.

Through a vibrant montage the ad highlights in a whimsical way how the traits and likes of each member in a modern, urban and “typical” Indian family are individualistic and differing. So much so, that it would appear rather odd if it was not. But how does the brand capitalise on this? Eric Braganza, president, Haier Appliances India says, “Haier has expanded its marketing outreach and improvised its marketing strategy in the past few years and is therefore now being perceived as an innovative consumer durable company. Targeting upper-middle class Indian families where each member of the family has a different personality and creating a plot around the same helped us deliver the true message of the product.”

In the commercial, a rather quirky family of five imitate each other’s hobbies to the extent of mimicking their appearances and actions — whether it is gymming in gym clothes, striking classic poses of a ballet dancer or a band member, and so on. If anything, each scene jabs at the mindset that every family member is not and need not be the same. It instead shows a family where each is wildly different from the other. And all it needs is an accident on the dinner table resulting in many stained clothes to unite all.

Raj Kamble, founder and CCO, Famous Innovations that conceptualised the ad believes the whole idea was to reflect on the changing reality of today's India, all the while doing away with the common problem-solution approach of a product. “Earlier, families always tried to further their own legacy and children were seen as carriers of this lineage. In a manner of speaking: ‘Doctor ka beta doctor, engineer ka beta engineer,’ as it is often said. But today's families are encouraged to pursue their individual interests and passions rather than just follow a path set out by parents,” he says. The ad plays on this modern concept, and the result is a film that hits the nail on its correct whimsical head.