Timeless Genius

Have you ever wondered what the digitally native generation of today would think, if they came across obsolete innovations like portable cassette players, typewriters, floppy disks, telephone directories or dial phones? Well, Parle Products has taken one such example and crafted a unique, tongue-in-cheek advertisement under its new campaign for its flagship brand, Parle G. Targeted at the ‘Digital Genius’, this ad drives home the point that while some things in life become obsolete with changing times, the nine-decade-old Parle G continues to hold its place in the consumers hearts, and shopping carts.

Mayank Shah, category head, Parle Products, says that Parle G as a brand caters to the needs of multiple target groups across age and socioeconomic classes. That is why one will see Parle G always having multiple communications going out. He adds that in a time when kids have a short attention span, it is important to talk to them in a language they like and resonate with. “This campaign is specifically for kids and parents — trying to tell them that the Parle G brand is timeless. It also talks about how the brand has evolved and connects with various age groups,” he says.

The humorous commercial shows a young boy bemused by the presence of a landline phone at his teacher’s desk. He then inundates his mother and the teacher with questions like where is the touchscreen, how it charges and if he can take a selfie with this phone. He is appeased only when he learns that while the older generation didn’t have a ‘smartphone’, at least they had ‘Parle G’. “Chalo kuch toh smart tha,” he says cheekily, as he walks away.

Pallavi Chakravarti, executive creative director, Taproot Dentsu, says that in the face of creams and jellies and what-nots adorning biscuits nowadays, the humble Parle-G, which is an everyday favourite in households, was starting to become one that’s loved but taken for granted. “Our job therefore was to drive relevance and increase affinity among the youngsters while keeping with Parle G’s timelessness,” she adds. With spunky music, perfect casting and spot on dialogues, their latest ad has achieved just that.