Rebooting AdZap

Two years back, In an inter-school competition I had gone to judge the AdZap event, I could see that the quality had not at all improved over the period since I was a college student taking part in such events. It was the same mimicry stuff imitating some actors, or doing some rap stuff for promoting a product. The influence of movies and sports was immense. It was the same "brand-ambassador-sermon" kind of ads that was thrown at the judges. There was absolutely no originality or creativity. The entire tamasha sounded so stale that I was literally searching for fresh air. Realizing at the same time, how stupid and juvenile our performances would have been then.

If the performance was stale, the format of the event was more mind numbing. It had not changed at all! Atleast the performance of the students had new cine stars being imitated and latest movie dialogues being mouthed, whereas the formats and rules for the event had not undergone one bit of a change. The same one minute preparation for a five minute performance, followed by a question-answer session. The products and their title is also given.

Last year I was not invited for the event, and this year once again I was invited. I went there expecting some change. But it was not to be. I don't know if the college level events reeks of the same quality. But I strongly suspect, it wouldn't be better by miles. 

I just thought what would make such an event more meaningful and identified the following parameters that could probably be done.

1. Expand the Scope

Instead of a team being given just one product to perform, they should be given three or even four products for promotion and marketing. Some of the areas could be 

(a) Daily Use Product / Services (Anything from food article to apparels to telephone services to anything); 

(b) Social Message (Anti Smoking Ad or Save The Earth or Anti Pollution or Car Pooling or Environment or Clean Roads etc.)

(c) An Event (An Inter College Event or a Cricket Match or a Musical Show or Drame etc.)

(d) Some New Products / Services (which could be open for the participants to select themselves)

2. Time for Preparation

Unless time is given for preparation, the participants would only keep on repeating whatever they have been doing for years, which was again based on what their seniors did. The students would come prepared with a particular model or pattern of advertisement, and they would fill the products given to them in that model or pattern. And actually, one can't blame the students for the stale show. 

It would be ideal if atleast three to four hours are given for them to prepare. For the final rounds it should be even more. If an event is spread over two days, the the products and services for the finalists should be given the first day evening itself, so that the students come prepared for the finals next day.

I firmly believe, with more amount of time being given to them, the students would pretty much deliver the quality which even a big time ad man cannot provide.

3. Product Title / Brand Name

Let the participants decide on the product name and brand name. Why should the event organisers given the product name and title? In fact making the students select the name and title would also test their creativity. Ultimately adzap isn't merely about humorous performance. It is about marketing a product. And one of the essential qualities of a successful product is in the choice of name with a good recall value. Though practically, the product names are defined by people different from those entrusted with the responsibility of evolving strategies for marketing the product, the choice of name definitely influences the kind of reach the product has.

4. Complete Description of the Product

How do you expect everybody to know everything about every product and service available in the world? There are countless people who have no idea about many of the products available in the product. Expecting each of the participants to know the features and usability of every product is like expecting the goat on the road to behave rationally. It is impossible. Unless and until, a reasonable knowledge of the product / service is communicated to the participant, they may never be able to create a good ad.

I still recollect how a particular team couldn't differentiate between cellular service and cellular phones in an adzap event some 12 years back. Now, that was from a college which was known for their ability to win prizes in all the events. One year later, yet another popular college team had some trouble understanding that Food Processor and Mixie are not the same. Though their performance had good quality, it was mostly out of context, since their understanding of the product was woefully inadequate.

5. Define the Parameters of Evaluation

The participants ought to know under what parameters their performance is being judged. Half the time, the students are clueless as to what is the criteria for selecting the best. Later they are being blamed that they didn't tell the product price or it wasn't humourous or it was in a regional language etc. Like the product / service given for advertising well in advance, the rules should also be made known well in advance.

Challenges and Possible Counters / Solutions

1. Time Constraints

For a team to be tested on four different product / service, and at around 5 minutes for each performance, and at around 10 odd teams, we are looking at almost an entire day only for this event. And this may not be possible for all such inter school or inter college events. Therefore, such a demanding format can be done only if the cultural event / competition itself happens for two or three days.

Alternatively, the organisers can have two rounds of selecting the best - A Qualifying Round testing two products; and a Finals testing two or three products. And not more than the top 4 teams for the final round would ensure that what is presented on the stage is definitely the best of the crop that contested.

2. Outside Help

When such an extended time is given for students to prepare for such event, then there is every possibility that some outside people could actually contribute to the process. A real world ad industry guy or somebody who has "been there done that" and knows exactly how to structure an ad. And this would mean that the performance is influenced greatly by others than the participants.

But without the time, we would only see the same old stale performances, which again is only the influence of the senior's performance and influences. I would believe, as an event, the quality could be several notches higher by having more time, rather than restrict the time and make the students use the same formats and performances with the only thing changing being the product being given to them.

As with any discussion on subjects such as these, there could be more challenges to be addressed and more changes that could be brought about to make these events better, more than what has been discussed and documented to the extent of limited ability that I am endowed with. 

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Such events are not merely for improving the fun quotient. They are meant for ensuring the classroom education doesn't kill the creative instincts and other skills of the students, which can be career shaping and life changing. They are meant for promoting the competitive spirit and showcasing the hidden talents, which are otherwise ignored and sidelined in the mundane classroom education and exam focussed training.

I am not sure if all the inter college or inter school events are organized with a clear objective of testing the skills of the students. Often, it is being done only for the purpose of saying "We also organized an event". Most of these events are primarily being meant for projecting their institution as something better than the other, by their size and grandeur and the kind of celebrity guests they engage in, rather than the quality of event or competition that is being conducted.

If the object of an event is only to have more participation without a properly structuring the event, it is doomed to fail on the quality part. It won't attract good brains or stimulate meaningful and constructive actions, which is what these non-academic or extra-curricular activities are supposed to do.

I am sure some of the colleges or schools would be structuring their events with plans and thoughts than what I have documented above. I am also sure that they would do that for a wide variety of events they conduct and organize. As I said earlier, they are as rare and as difficult to find as an Indian fast bowler with an average of less than 25.