Percept/H positions SBI Mutual Fund as a solution to tax cuts

Percept/H has executed the latest commercial 'Magnum Taxgain scheme' for SBI Mutual Fund, positioning it as the best solution to save taxes, at a time when everyone is trying to ensure that tax cuts can be minimised as much as possible.

The commercial is being supported by print, radio, outdoor and digital campaigns and will continue till mid March 2010.

Commenting on the commercial, Prabhakar Mundkur, CEO, Percept/H said, "SBI MF is one of the largest fund houses in the Indian mutual fund industry and veterans at consistently delivering value to their customers. We have tried to promote this scheme in our TVC by showcasing that it is a tool which can be used not only to save tax but also to get the benefit of investment. Investments today, are a serious business and we have attempted to support this with a series of real life situations in order to build a better connect. We had to work on the insight that tax cuts in income have an impact on the lifestyle and sacrifices have to be made."

Srinivas Jain, CMO, SBI Mutual Fund said, "With certain restrictions, the message sometimes gets difficult to deliver. The message on television is just about the product. It just gives visibility. We do not expect one medium to say it all and hence have to depend on other media to support the campaign."

Sartaj Jafrri, VP - Percept/H further added, "The situations we have built in the film are today and tomorrow and not just about the future, which is what most insurance companies communicate about. While insurance companies are 'protection' oriented, mutual funds are 'investment' oriented. The light heartedness built in the situations in the film help the viewer to relate better."

View the TVC

The commercial showcases a series of situations that harp on the phrase 'Cut Rahi Hai'. A couple of friends converse in office about how finances are tight with tax cuts, a housewife works in a kitchen complaining about less shopping and entertainment due to tax cuts, a young boy cribs about lesser pocket money and in a humorous turn to the ad, a man accidentally cuts off his moustache while shaving when his son throws a ball at him. A voiceover follows, explaining how investing in SBI Mutual Fund will save taxes, with the benefit of returns on investment. The ad ends with the person who earlier complained about his finances to his friend saying that life is better now - 'Life achhi kat rahi hai!'

Akhil Saxena and Shekhar Karpe, creative directors at Percept/H, have worked on the copy and art, respectively.

Credits

Project: Magnum Tax Gain Fund
Client: SBI Mutual Fund
Creative agency: Percept/H
Brief: To develop a campaign to promote the SBI MF Magnum Taxgain scheme as a tool not only to save tax but also get the benefit of investment
Creative director copy: Akhil Saxena
Creative director art: Shekar Karpe

Executive creative director: Prathamesh Ghate
Account planning: Sujay Nanavati
Client servicing
Sartaj Jaffri - vice-president
Makarand Nadkarni - group account director
Production House: Fingerprint Films
Executive producer: Madhukar Kotian
Producer: Parthiv Mavani
Director: Nitish Sharma
Media used: TV, print and outdoor