The commercials for Kerala Tourism have always been outstanding. The recent ad, ‘Your moment is waiting’ is no exception when it comes to the oomph factor. The cinematography, the grainy picture quality, the surreal atmosphere… everything is first-rate. Except that the commercial does not feel like one for God’s Own Country. Dare I say, it even manages to scare you at some points.
Think of Kerala, and what comes to mind are the languid backwaters, lush greenery, Ayurvedic massage, pregnant rain clouds, rice fields, elephants, et al. While the ad captures a few of these elements, overall it fails to capture the essence of Kerala Tourism. Even if there was an attempt to step out of the beaten track, the makers seem to have lost their way.
One of the frames shows a traditional dancer (Was it a deliberate attempt to not make him look like a Kathakali dancer?) babbling something into the ears of the protagonist. The surrounding looks more like an African savannah, and the dancer is wearing red and white colours, quite unlike the colourful and grand visage of a Kathakali dancer. While a Kathakali dancer looks more resplendent, this one resembles an African aborigine and manages to scare the living daylights out of the viewer.
And if that doesn’t, the protagonist’s banshee-like gestures certainly manage to do that. What was the idea behind showing the tourist genuflecting before a banyan tree and wave her head wildly like possessed by a spirit? The eerie background music score only adds to the scare factor.
Full points for the art direction, but there is an overall dampening feel to the ad, unlike the upbeat sunny, sparkling waters that one would generally encounter in Kerala. May be the makers wanted to show a different side of Kerala.
The ad has received rave reviews. But I am not sure whether the creative agencies have done justice to the brief.
