Times of India? Nope, VW of India. EDIT: Vibrating ad on 11 Sept 2012 (Pg 26)

funkydevil · 21st September 2010, 10:05

Hearing the voice, my grandmother thought it was some kind of an explosive device.

Glad I diffused it

(covered its face) before it would've been thrown out of the window.

shankar.balan · 21st September 2010, 10:08

my mum got a surprise when she opened the paper this morning.
when I picked it up and heard the VW ad through, all the dogs came and sniffed interestedly at the 'talking paper' - since it keeps playing repeatedly in a loop, they got a bit irritated and started barking loudly.

this is a nice innovation from VW. must have cost a bomb though in terms of both advertising as well as production costs.

but trust the TOI to be the first off the block in any initiative of this kind!

IronH4WK · 21st September 2010, 10:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by SPARKled

Yes innovative sure, but there should a way to shut it in a way other than closings its face.

the device reacts to light, so just put a insulation tape over it. the batteries are soldered to the PCB and these cannot be removed without damaging the PCB (unless you have solder iron). another way is to open the back and just cut the wires that connect to the small speaker - the circuit will be live, but no output!

suman · 21st September 2010, 10:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by suman

Touch sensitive actually - one tap on & one tap off

Quote:

Originally Posted by poloman

Just cover the hole with some thing. It will stop. This is what is happening with the device I got. Looks to me like a optical sensor.
Suman, Are you sure of the 'tap' thing?

Quote:

Originally Posted by suman

Worked on the one we got

Guys, my apologies! Asked my wife to check again & it does seem to be light sensitive as Poloman & others mentioned. Perhaps it was a coincidence with the sensor being momentarily covered when I was tapping it earlier

Sorry about the confusion!

vasoo · 21st September 2010, 10:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by suman

Worked on the one we got

A bit "hard" tap should work any way! Any way it's an innovative approach. Have seen shampoo sachets, mini soaps etc being distributed by the FMCG cos earlier along with newspaper. This is something really different. Ideally they should have given a pint sized replica of Vento! Would have been a big hit.

itwasntme · 21st September 2010, 10:24

My 3 year old took the ToI to school today, he was so happy with it! He managed to discover the light sensor thing first.

But great effort from VW whether Honda thinks it's cheesy or not :-). Let's say Honda's advertisements for the City as as vague as can be!

YSooSeriouss · 21st September 2010, 10:24

Yes the sensor needs to be covered for it to be shut, nevertheless this will spark of a new train of great advertisements. Im sure the Germans read BMW and Mercedes have taken note and will be working on something to showcase their solid 'engineering' through something like this.

throttleking · 21st September 2010, 10:27

Couldnt believe my eyes and ears, my Times of India talked to me today.

Great job VW, really appreciate it.

vkochar · 21st September 2010, 10:32

This advert is only in major metros. Agra did not get this edition :(

But I am sure they spent a small fortune. The device will cost no more than 10 - 15 rupees !! Yes !! That is the cost to make a large order from China. But still a lot of money considering the readership in delhi, mumbai etc is massive.

PS - the latest toy ( jukebox ) given complimentary with the Mc Happy Meal at Mc Donalds also has a speaker and sound. Cost - 12 Rupees !!!

Daewood · 21st September 2010, 10:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by setuniket

Yes got it here in TOI, Delhi as well. btw the voice is irritating and continues to play unless the paper is shut. Great idea nevertheless.

it reminded me of the cheap musical brake in 2wheelers.
Defnitley not the right way to advertise a C+ segment sedan.

Quote:

Originally Posted by vkochar

But I am sure they spent a small fortune. The device will cost no more than 10 - 15 rupees !! Yes !! That is the cost to make a large order from China.

Even if they had ordered 15 lakh units that would cost only Rs.1.5 crores.
Vento will sell atleast 2000 units in the first month itself. Even if VW makes only 7% profit per car that itself is around Rs.15 crores.
Advertising is the cheapest form of selling. Expect advertsing in India to scale insane heigths soon, as Indian companies are one of the least spenders on a advertsing cost per consumer scale.

driving_smartly · 21st September 2010, 10:35

It is not often we do come across this kind of advertisement, this is really a good sense of advertising. Hatts off to VW, TOI and the Marketing team who would have promoted Idea behind this kind of advertisement.

I perceive they are trying to show that they are a class apart from the rest of the competition. Now they need to set a trend in After sales service too.

myavu · 21st September 2010, 10:43

Me and wify was surprised. Initially I asked her from other room, 'hey you changed your ring-tone'. When I came to the drawing room she was staring at a small black box sticked to Vento ad.

Cheers!

theragingbull · 21st September 2010, 10:46

Amazing idea for an advert! Again a first of its kind in India.

The device is a simple LDR circuit. Once it is covered, there is no light and thus the circuit breaks due to infinite resistance

f1fan · 21st September 2010, 10:48

When I opened TOI today, for a moment I thought that my kids changed the ring tone of my cellphone and same is ringing. Then noticed this talking ad on the last page.
Innovative indeed but starts bugging you after some time.

himanshugoswami · 21st September 2010, 10:53

I got the shock of my life this morning- Imagine the scene- I am sitting among absolute peace and quiet at 630 in the morning, hearing the birds chrip on nearby trees, a cup of hot steaming tea in my hands and then I open the news paper-DAMN!! nearly spilled my tea when i heard that metallic voice speak up from out of nowhere

talk about innovative marketing!!

21st September 2010, 10:05	#316
funkydevil BHPian Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Dubai, UAE Posts: 362 Thanked: 102 Times	Hearing the voice, my grandmother thought it was some kind of an explosive device. Glad I diffused it (covered its face) before it would've been thrown out of the window. Last edited by funkydevil : 21st September 2010 at 10:07.
	() Thanks

21st September 2010, 10:08	#317
shankar.balan BANNED Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Bangalore Posts: 11,368 Thanked: 23,150 Times View My Garage Infractions: 0/2 (8)	my mum got a surprise when she opened the paper this morning. when I picked it up and heard the VW ad through, all the dogs came and sniffed interestedly at the 'talking paper' - since it keeps playing repeatedly in a loop, they got a bit irritated and started barking loudly. this is a nice innovation from VW. must have cost a bomb though in terms of both advertising as well as production costs. but trust the TOI to be the first off the block in any initiative of this kind!
	() Thanks

21st September 2010, 10:24	#321
itwasntme Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: May 2007 Location: BANGALORE Posts: 6,978 Thanked: 12,532 Times View My Garage	My 3 year old took the ToI to school today, he was so happy with it! He managed to discover the light sensor thing first. But great effort from VW whether Honda thinks it's cheesy or not :-). Let's say Honda's advertisements for the City as as vague as can be!
	() Thanks

21st September 2010, 10:24	#322
YSooSeriouss BHPian Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Mumbai Posts: 196 Thanked: 2 Times	Yes the sensor needs to be covered for it to be shut, nevertheless this will spark of a new train of great advertisements. Im sure the Germans read BMW and Mercedes have taken note and will be working on something to showcase their solid 'engineering' through something like this.
	() Thanks

21st September 2010, 10:27	#323
throttleking BHPian Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Pune Posts: 804 Thanked: 447 Times	Couldnt believe my eyes and ears, my Times of India talked to me today. Great job VW, really appreciate it.
	() Thanks

21st September 2010, 10:32	#324
vkochar Senior - BHPian Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Delhi / Agra / London Posts: 2,146 Thanked: 819 Times View My Garage	This advert is only in major metros. Agra did not get this edition :( But I am sure they spent a small fortune. The device will cost no more than 10 - 15 rupees !! Yes !! That is the cost to make a large order from China. But still a lot of money considering the readership in delhi, mumbai etc is massive. PS - the latest toy ( jukebox ) given complimentary with the Mc Happy Meal at Mc Donalds also has a speaker and sound. Cost - 12 Rupees !!! Last edited by vkochar : 21st September 2010 at 10:33.
	() Thanks

21st September 2010, 10:35	#326
driving_smartly BHPian Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: MH43 & MH14 Posts: 518 Thanked: 305 Times View My Garage	It is not often we do come across this kind of advertisement, this is really a good sense of advertising. Hatts off to VW, TOI and the Marketing team who would have promoted Idea behind this kind of advertisement. I perceive they are trying to show that they are a class apart from the rest of the competition. Now they need to set a trend in After sales service too.
	() Thanks

21st September 2010, 10:43	#327
myavu Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Delhi - Kochi Posts: 1,502 Thanked: 1,693 Times	Me and wify was surprised. Initially I asked her from other room, 'hey you changed your ring-tone'. When I came to the drawing room she was staring at a small black box sticked to Vento ad. Cheers!
	() Thanks

21st September 2010, 10:46	#328
theragingbull Senior - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 2,601 Thanked: 646 Times View My Garage	Amazing idea for an advert! Again a first of its kind in India. The device is a simple LDR circuit. Once it is covered, there is no light and thus the circuit breaks due to infinite resistance
	() Thanks

21st September 2010, 10:48	#329
f1fan BHPian Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Mumbai Posts: 701 Thanked: 48 Times View My Garage	When I opened TOI today, for a moment I thought that my kids changed the ring tone of my cellphone and same is ringing. Then noticed this talking ad on the last page. Innovative indeed but starts bugging you after some time.
	() Thanks

21st September 2010, 10:53	#330
himanshugoswami Senior - BHPian Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: !!!! Posts: 2,303 Thanked: 2,619 Times	I got the shock of my life this morning- Imagine the scene- I am sitting among absolute peace and quiet at 630 in the morning, hearing the birds chrip on nearby trees, a cup of hot steaming tea in my hands and then I open the news paper-DAMN!! nearly spilled my tea when i heard that metallic voice speak up from out of nowhere talk about innovative marketing!!
	() Thanks