ASIAN SCHOOL OF BUSINESS MANAGEMENT

Post Graduate Program in Management (PGPM)

ASSIGNMENT
Course Title: Critical analysis of surf excel ad

Submitted to:
Prof. Jaya Gopalkrishnan Faculty in Advertising & Brand Management ASBM, BBSR

Submitted by: Sweety Das

Reg. no- PGPM/10-12/58 (Sec-A)

This is an advertisement created by surf-excel as shown in the image

Introduction: Hindustan Unilever Limited introduced Surf in 1959, introducing the first
detergent powder in the country. At that time housewives used laundry soap bars to wash clothes. Surf offered them significantly better clean clothes with much less effort. The promise of superlative whiteness connected consumers and helped to establish the brand. Surf was the first national detergent brand on Television to effectively educate their consumers on how to use detergent powders in the bucket for a better wash.

The message through the advertisement: Forgiveness is the idea used in this campaign.
The situation that is used in this ad is very real. Children do play pranks and the boy who eventually forgives is at a vulnerable stage, with his pants down. When the teacher comes, the boy could have easily complained but he does not do so.

Content: The ad opens with a group of boys pulling down their fellow schoolmates trousers
and then going on to make fun of the boy. Their fun is short-lived though, as the head mistress of the school walks in to question the boys about their activities. When she gets no reply, she further goes on to threaten them about suspension if they dont tell her about their activities. Thats when the boy, who was being ragged, saves the other boys saying, that he was practicing for the sack race and thats why he was in such a situation. The boy then demonstrates his actions, by running around in muddy areas leaving the group of boys who pulled his pants down embarrassed by his action. As the head mistress leaves, the boys then go to apologize and thank the boy. The ad ends with, the four boys united and shown having a sack race with the voiceover saying, Daag ache hai, but he showed forgiveness that was shown through the use of stains.

Creativeness of the advertisement: This is an advertisement with full of innovative

ideas and creativity. A beautiful thought letting all the mothers know its not a big deal if their kids get their clothes dirty. The boy saving his friends from the teacher saying they were practicing for the sack race seems too cute and appealing that we fall prey to the advertisement.

Colour: The four children are playing in a playground with lots of mud which is dark brown in
colour. The children are wearing white uniform and there is a white and red colour building and lot of greeneries at the background.

Logo: Surf-excel is a prominent detergent brand of Hindustan Unilever Limited. The logo
represents a mark of stain which can be of any kind. But we should not be worried about it because stains can keep coming in; we have surf excel to get it clean, after all daag ache hain.

Media: The different ways through which surf excel is being advertised are billboards,
television, magazines, newspapers, internet advertising, different radio channels, etc.

Positioning: The brand already had the faith of the customers. The new style of promoting the
product through the eyes of the children has added another brunch of customers in the pocket. Profit making without targeting the rival brand. This particular advertisement has not only been successful in targeting all the housewives but has actually been quite impressive in touching the hearts of all the Indian mothers. Be it kids; parents or grandparents all wish to give their bit of time to the surf excel advertisement- Daag ache hai.

Effectiveness: This is an advertisement that has made everyone feel good; it doesnt let
viewers change the channel. Surf excel has clearly differentiated itself as a premium brand which offers a range of solutions that deliver top clean performance.