New Five Star Ad

I hope you saw the new Five Star chocolate ad. The ad shows two guys Suresh and Ramesh who have a temporary loss of memory because they are having 5 Star. The ad seems to be popular.

Now 5 Star’s popularity is near immortal. 5 Star brand has always been in the Indian market, from the time you remember. And Cadbury’s always gave it enough focus along with Dairy Milk. No other chocolate brand could dethrone 5 Star from its position. So two questions come to our mind: (1) Was there a need to spend money on 5 Star ads when it has always been doing good and everyone knows it? (2) How is the ad?

First, the need for an ad campaign: I think 5 Star was more popular in the lower segment (its price positioning) and people also connected it with the view that 5-Star should come for only Rupees 5. This ad campaign takes the brand further up the segment and hence was definitely needed. Also, it targets adults, instead of the conventional segment of children as chocolate consumers, which is in line with the overall Cadbury’s strategy.

Then how is the ad? The ad reminded me of another ad of a Pan Masala. In fact this 5 Star ad would qualify to be called a gross copy of the later. In that ad, two long-lost brothers meet but they are not able to recognize each other because they are just having “Goa Pan Masala”. The voice-over says, “Dekho Bhai ko Bhai dekh na paya; ye hai Goa ke swad ki mayaa..” I hope you would can recall. The agency for 5 Star could have been more creative. But I think despite the duplication, this ad campaign would be successful.

What do you say?

- Rahul