Photo from AdWeek
Tinder India swiped right for agency BBH India to create their “Start Something Epic” ad, starring musician-actor Kavya Trehan. The ad draws inspiration from Bollywood’s rich musical cinematic history and is infused with what AdWeek describes as “Kenzo vibes”. Music and dance married with exciting visuals seem to be the zeitgeist for 2018 with Spike Jonze’s recent HomePod ad for Apple.
See for yourself here:
Why It Works
“Start Something Epic” positions Tinder as more than just a dating app. Through whimsical dance sequences, it shows that the app is really about making meaningful human connections and seeing where those connections take you - either romantically or platonically. Each dance represents the different kinds of connections you can make.
Indian cultures have their own set of customs around dating and marriage, so it’s of the utmost importance for a brand, especially one that’s a dating app, to make sure their creative is culturally on point and resonates with the audience. Two years ago, Tinder faced some backlash when they published this ad. People felt it was “unrealistic” and didn’t accurately represent what an Indian mother would say or do. Their new ad took a more light-hearted approach that felt authentic and didn’t infringe on cultural expectations.
What You Can Learn
Finding the right balance between product and story is the eternal struggle for creatives and marketers. Too much product can cause viewers to skip; but being too subtle about product placement can make people forget the brand altogether. BBH India found a way to creatively integrate the app’s features into the dance choreography, reminding people of the product without doing the obligatory over-the-shoulder shots. When Kavya swipes left three times in quick succession, three dancers playfully keel over. By the time the first real product shot is shown (1:05), we’re already too invested in the spot to press skip.
It also doesn’t hurt to use an influencer or celebrity in your ad when the budget allows for it. Familiar faces tend to grab people’s attention.
Last but not least, music and dance are powerful tools of expression. Dance transcends language barriers, and when wielded properly, it can get people to stop and pay attention.
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What did you think of this spot? Which ad should we tackle next? Tell us all about it in the comments below.
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