The voiceover is that of your average Indian cynic lamenting about the never-ending menace of pothole-infested roads and bumper-to-bumper traffic. But the commentator is not simply expressing a cathartic rant. Accompanied by a deadpan narration is an acerbic taunt calling out the lackadaisical attitude riders approach the concept of road safety with. Isse se zyaada time to aap baal katne mein lagate ho (You end up spending more time over a haircut) harps the narrator implying that the viewer upgrade to JK Tyre's latest range of two-wheeler tyres — Blaze.
“The idea is to drive awareness among consumers who do not care about their choice of tyres, which can be dangerous, even fatal. At JK Tyre, safety for our customers is our priority, and this campaign is directed at making this point,” says Vikram Malhotra, marketing director, JK Tyre and Industries. While durability and comfort are major focus points for tyre advertisements, safety seems to be a recurrent theme in JK Tyre's previous campaigns as well. Created by Dentsu One, the creative agency of Dentsue Aegis Network, this 45-second ad film urges you to think twice before you settle for just any brand of tyres. “Most consumers are not aware of the tyres they are riding on. They give a lot of thought to which motorcycle or scooter they should buy but seldom give a second thought to what tyres the vehicle is riding on,” says Titus Upputuru, national creative director, Dentsu Aegis.
The commercial aptly captures the callous mindset of a two-wheeler rider, who it claims compromises on the quality of his vehicle’s tyres thus risking the lives of his loved ones and his own. Following every bold assertion calling out the chalta hai attitude, is the sardonic “It’s okay, yaar”. After making a convincing attempt to get the viewer’s attention, the ad film reveals the brand name along with the newly launched product’s features. Malhotra adds, “It is not targeted at bad roads alone, but also aims to change the way consumers choose two-wheeler tyres for their motorcycles and scooters.” So the next time you replace the tyres for your ride without much thought, remember, it’s not okay.
