Long time no seeing (writing?). It’s been already 3 weeks since the last entry to this Blog. Was I out on vacation for Christmas – a new year holidays? Yes, I was on vacation, but in December, I caught very “sticky” cold, staying in and out for 3 weeks to give me a bit of fever and headache to stay in bed. It was not flu, fortunately.
Anyways, please visit and enjoy this Blog in 2010, as you always do, to kill some time in breaks in office.
So what should be the very first topic in 2010? Well, let’s not put that way to give me unnecessary pressure. Simply, let me talk about a recent on-air TV spot that I like very much. It has been heavily aired for these days (hope it is not just in Kansai area, though), you must have seen it as well. But just in case, here is the film:
Did you expect I would pick up Google? Not. (I like it, though. It has very nice idea in it, but it forces me a little too much to “think” to follow, so I cannot be relaxed to enjoy it.)
This one is much more easy-going, you can just watch and enjoy. TV CM from historic product called “Putchin’ Pudding” from Glico.
Very good advertising.
I looked into some entries in YouTube to see what kind of title people are giving to it. A few put “President Putchin’”. I have to agree with the title. It tells how good this advertising is, in fact.
(Again, I have selected a kind of topic that is very hard to translate into English, or needs to be explained to be understood, I guess. I started the English version of the Blog just for my English practice purpose. Here, probably I should give some explanation or note to describe what is “Putchin’ Pudding” and its play on word “Putchin’ ~ Puttsun = snap your temper(?)”…)
OK, let me try. Putchin’ Pudding is a casual snack you can buy at any supermarket or convenience store. It’s been sold for some 30 years, as far as I remember. A custard pudding is filled in plastic cup. You can eat it as it is, but you also can serve on dish by snapping a small pinch at its bottom to open a small hole to let the pudding slip out on to the dish. Putchin’ is a sound, or onomatopoeia, of the snapping.
Now let’s go back to the topic.
This advertising has a few very good points. It might become a bit of argument for its sake, but let me sort these points out.
The very first point is its great product feature, and decision to focus communications strategically on that feature.
The feature is, as I described above, fun of snapping and watching it slipping out and dropping on the dish. It has a power to make people happy.
It is an innovation that Glico can be proud to the world and to the history. (I really mean it. I am not trying to be funny or be cynical.)
It has everything that cheap sweets should have: Fun (and sweet). In this sense, it is a perfect form of cheap sweets.
And the advertising is facing it and focusing on it. That is the first point.
Next is its idea, turning the strategy into an idea very nicely.
Structure of the idea is quite simple. It is about an exaggerated gap of change before and after the snapping, Putchin’, changing atmosphere and flow of happenings around.
If I put some words together, it goes like “Just Putchin’ the Putchin’ Pudding can turn anger, snapping his anger/Puttsun, to happiness in a second.”
(Puttsun is an expression to describe a person suddenly getting into anger with no reason or with very small reason.)
You would say it is too good to be true, yet you go “But I know, I understand how good/happy it is”, for those who know its pleasant/fun feeling.
Specific dramatization of the idea is also very well done. The “president” in the spot appears like someone you know, maybe “that” president of a country in mid/south America. The drama feels close to you as you know the “fact” that many people are sharing as an imagery person. It pulls you into the story very nicely to enjoy it. Direction, casting, and photography/art direction are also very well crafted.
And, as I wrote some time ago in this Blog, it does not miss the point of “You buy snack because it looks tasty”. Very professional work, I think.
Only regret, because I like the spot so much, is the film is not visualizing the moment, the very moment of Putchin’/snapping the bottom of the cup.
Well, there must be yes and no to this. Some may say you don’t have to. Others would argue it is a cliché if you show it. Or, some may tell me typical and boring preach that showing it is typical and boring “predictable harmony”.
But, I want to see it.
Historic innovation, it is. Pleasant sensation that you can enjoy only once per one cup. People buy Putchin’ Pudding for that. Even when he/she knows he/she may end up eating it from the cup, he/she is imagining the moment when buying it. The brand is exiting in this world for the very reason.
So, I want to see it, the moment.
Even without it, I still love the film, though.
"O."
