How safe are you?

Brands that matter are brands that are open to innovation, not just in their products but also the stories they bind to them, the way they treat subjects. In its latest campaign, Godrej Locking Solutions and Systems has done just that.

The campaign demonstrates the quality of products in the most unexpected and radical way possible. Titled ‘Ex-Robbers Speak’, the campaign has real-life former robbers (the brand is calling them reformed robbers in the campaign) narrating how they used to break into homes.

The three-film digital campaign created by Whyness Worldwide has three different products by the brand demonstrated in the films. Instead of taking a straight problem, solution approach, the brand decided to have a marketing communication that creates awareness in the most dramatic way possible.

The campaign plot is refreshingly new and delivers the brand message loud and clear. The product branding throughout the campaign is subtle and classy. In all the average two-minute films of the campaigns, the first-minute talks only about the reformed robbers’ experiences and tips for public safety; it is only in the latter part of the film that the product is introduced and the reformed robber is asked to break it open.

We, of course, know what happens next - the robber explains how complex the locking systems by Godrej are, and how it is almost impossible to break them open. The icing on the cake is the way the films conclude; they end with the super - ‘Issued in Public Interest’.

Positioning
With subtle product branding, the messaging is unique and something very different from what others in the industry have done. Positioning is straight - Godrej is asking you to take extra safety precautions because of the increased crime rates, and especially if you have elders and kids at home. And is reinforcing its commitment to that exact safety of yours through its products. Testimony? Who can testify the safety of lock systems better than real-life ex-robbers themselves?

Production and Treatment
Firstly, the fact that the film featured real-life former robbers is a great deal. Finding former robbers and getting them to speak in front of a camera can be a tedious negotiating task. Great research and groundwork done here.

Also, what makes all the three films of the campaign extremely gripping is the setting in which they were shot. It looks as though the entire campaign was shot in some sort of a terrifying interrogation room. And of course, the dingy lighting and low decibel background score added to the whole feel of the film.

With a treatment and realistic approach such as this, the campaign is definitely a home run!