[sustran] Re: FW: India - Bosch Horn commercial

[Rutul Joshi]

I agree with Sunny, Madhav and Sujit. 
Let me draw your attention to the voice overs when the 'helpless woman' is stuck in front of 'the mob(!)'. The voice over says, "I am not afraid of obstacles" and the male voice, " zero compromise horns from Bosch...when there is no compromise, there is no fear!" She blows horn because she is not afraid of 'obstacles'! It is an outright pro-honking commercial which aggressively potrays the priority of car-users over the pedestrians. I do not think that anyone can legitimize it by using the 'helpless woman' card. What is zero-compromise horns, btw? And what is this portrayal of 'no fear, no obstacles' philosophy here?

One can also not buy the argument that horns are like all other approved auto products with high environmental standards. Everything fixed on a motorized vehicle may be 'approved' but not necessarily harmless. It is always the thousand horns blowing at a time, which make life miserable in cities. 

Finally, it is never about one commercial or this commercial per say. but is always about how 'just' are we. We understand that advertisers have to exaggerate things but we also bane cigarette commercials. Personally, I think horn commercials are as contagious, powerful and anti-social as cigarette commercials and they should be banned. There are also double standards here on the company's part. Would they have the same commercial in their European market?

best,
Rutul.

PS: As an awareness campaign, I would borrow Madhav's idea. One day, all the pedestrians in the city should move around with horns! Would they out-number the car horns?
 




________________________________
From: Sunny Kodukula <sunny.enie at gmail.com>
To: Kanthi Kannan <kanthikannan at gmail.com>
Cc: sustran-discuss at list.jca.apc.org
Sent: Thu, 19 November, 2009 11:46:39 AM
Subject: [sustran] Re: FW: India - Bosch Horn commercial

Sorry Kanthi, I am not satisfied and when a pedestrian is treated like a 
moving "thing" on the street (not even a road) which will make way with 
sound, this is really sad and also not treating other humans alike, 
forget the animals that's another story for the blue cross.

I like the word pedestrian "indiscipline", if the people walk on roads 
it is indiscipline and cars go in the middle of two lanes it is 
perfectly fine. Our cities we try to control the people who cross the 
roads at grade than trying to control the cars that do not stick to 
lanes. Anyway, Who is Bosch to decide what pedestrian indiscipline is!

The lady in the commercial always had the option to leave her car behind 
and walk in the "narrow" street. So Bosch is actually supporting people 
driving cars in narrow streets and also to honk.

those were my 2 cents

cheers
sunny


On 19/11/09 11:05 AM, Kanthi Kannan wrote:
> Dear all
>
> Greetings!!
>
> I have contacted the ad agency and here is what they have to say. Please do
> go through it and check whether it is acceptable.  I am personally satisfied
> and feel that there is no need to take this up at a different level. ( My
> feeling many of you might not share it).
>
> Regards
>
> Kanthi Kannan
>
> THOSE WHO WALK CANNOT DECIDE AND THOSE WHO DECIDE DO NOT WALK
>
>   "Horns are approved standard equipment in all auto products. All Bosch
> products comply with the highest environmental standards worldwide.
> Indiscriminate honking is not a practice Bosch encourages. Nor is it what
> the Bosch Horns TVC promotes. As much as it does not seek to promote
> pedestrian indiscipline.
>
> The commercial  reflects (and possibly exaggerates) what any driver would
> encounter on any given day in most busy city streets: a mob in a heated
> argument in the middle of a narrow road, blocking all traffic, without
> intending to do so. Clearly the mob before the young lady driver in the
> commercial do not pay her any heed and a continue to block the road and her
> path. The volatility of the situation in the commercial is what makes the
> young lady choose to stay in her car and not put herself at any personal
> risk. Her conspicuous, brightly colored car at a standstill, she waits,
> hoping they will notice her clear the road, giving her right of way. They
> don't. She looks helpless. As a last resort she blows her horn. It is
> certainly not a case of indiscriminate honking."
>
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