Local service needs platform Sulekha.com has launched a film to underline the reliability of professional service partners it has enlisted. The work has been conceptualised by Ogilvy & Mather.
The brand drives its message home with the help of a male protagonist, a self-professed ‘Jugaadu’ (quick fix specialist). The instances featured in the film demonstrate his ability to arrive at a quick-fix solution to almost any situation without taking any professional help. He takes immense pride in his ability too. The hilarious instances include him tying a sofa to his moped, to ferry four women who are otherwise hesitant to hop on. He even removes his trousers and uses the legs to direct air flow from a cooler to two different tables. At his own wedding, he handles a flat tyre while leaving with the bride, by plugging a trolley beneath the car instead of fixing the tyre. As the lady enters his house, she sees other quick-fixes used by the man: a calendar in front of a damp wall, and a bucket right below a leaking shower, and more. As the duo are alone, there's a power cut. The man does his jugaad again, by connecting the power supply to his motor bike and thinks he's gotten away yet again with a quick fix. That's when it goes terribly wrong. There's sparking within the house and the leakages increase with water spraying into the house. The newlywed lady is angered by this and warns him that she'll replace him if he continues with his ways. The film ends with the lady logging onto the Sulekha app on her phone to seek professional help, as the man looks on haplessly.
Soumendu Ganguly, head of marketing, Sulekha, said, “Sulekha is one of India’s largest digital brands. People know about us and that’s why we get close to 20 mn visitors every month. But we were considered to be a classified website. With explosive increase in India’s digital population, upwardly mobile Indians are looking online for all their needs. Sulekha being an early mover in this category with its vast network of trusted service professionals, wanted to appropriate this space by going on mass media and claiming the category. We believe the insight for the campaign is deep rooted in Indian culture and would strike a chord with the audience. We have all tried to jugaad our way out of situations. While it being a popular practice, we all know that it is not the optimum solution. Local service partners listed on Sulekha understand that consumers aren’t looking for quick fixes but permanent solutions. Our ‘Go #AntiJugaad’ campaign echoes this sentiment and aims to reach out to everyone who is seeking easy access to professional, high-quality local services.”
Tithi Ghosh, SVP and head of advertising, Ogilvy & Mather, said, “The cornerstone of our campaign is the thought of 'Go anti jugaad'. The sheer inconvenience and pain of finding a suitable service provider leads to procrastination and temporary, imperfect fixes or makeshift solutions. We decided to use the very Indian cultural phenomenon of jugaad as the springboard for creative. By dramatising the ill effects of jugaad at home we deliver the message that home owners can avail expert help on Sulekha. Instead of preaching or taking on a serious tone we chose to influence behaviour change by making our audience laugh at themselves, their acceptance of jugaad which deep down they know is far from perfect. The accompanying jingle builds a sweeping scale for the campaign and will definitely add to the enjoyment of the video and TVC. We believe this campaign will break clutter in a communication landscape that is dominated by urban chic."
The film has been released on digital channels and will go on air on 16 January.
Credits
Client: Sulekha.com
Agency: Ogilvy & Mather