I was quite intrigued when I noticed a banner ad on Rediff that said, ‘Pressure Play contest with Bipasha’. Clicked on it and found that it was by bath fittings brand Kohler.
Now, I have seen Kohler’s range and really admire it’s products.
The next thing I did was to check Kohler’s India website to see what the context of this ‘contest’ is – but, strangely, there’s nothing about this contest in the official site.
Curse of the Microsite, I suppose.
There are 3 flash-based games in the Play With Pressure microsite and one cannot fault them – they are simple and reasonably enjoyable, if you are in the mood for some brainless fun.
Just 2 questions, after having played those games and spent more than 5 minutes in the microsite last weekend.
1. Why Bipasha? The ONLY Bipasha Basu connection is that the winner (every week, it seems) gets a chance to meet and pressure-play (sic) with Bipasha…according to the microsite. Of course, she can lead to better click-throughs on the ad., but is that the kind of TG they are looking at?
2. Why these seemingly silly, childish games, however well they have been executed?
The first game is a jigsaw puzzle of a picture of a very bony, impoverished woman – clothes-wise…she’s having a bath, for heaven’s sake!.
The second game…or, the next level, as they call it, is about clicking on bathroom tiles to collect a hidden duck. And there are 6 ducks to collect…oh the joy!
The third level is about shooting ducks with a Kohler shower head…no, I mean it. Really.
I am still under the impression that Kohler’s products are pricey and premium, in appeal. A simple stop valve costs Rs. 1,270 and that could well be the cheapest in their range.
Would the target segment that buys Kohler products be the one to enjoy flash-based jigsaw and duck shooting games online?
To be entirely fair, the games are reasonably engaging, even for me – they are simple and brain-dead, but worth going along if you’re in that kind of a mood. But what is the purpose of this campaign and the games? I’d perhaps expect and relate these games with something more downmarket/simpler brand…a random bathroom tile brand, perhaps…or those kinds.
I really like the core message – Go full flow even when the pressure is low. I can relate to it ‘cos the darn shower in my bathroom has low pressure and it annoys me like hell! I recollect a Seinfeld episode where Kramer gets a plumber, without the knowledge of the building authorities, to change the showerheads so that they could get better pressure. So, it is a pertinent problem for me, personally at least. In fact, I did search the microsite to see if there’s a mention about another HUGE problem with showerheads and taps in general, in India – limescale sediment accumulation. There’s a mention that goes, ‘anti-limescale rub-it nozzles for easy cleaning’, but no details on how it works.
I’m not here to suggest constructive ideas on what Kohler could have done online. I’m just wondering aloud if this duck shooting, jigsaw playing thingy will help in…forget sales…creating a positive impression of Kohler, in the minds of the people who play/click on the banner ad. And, eventually…and probably, buy a Kohler shower head.
If I were to answer my own question (that I’m thinking aloud), I’d think that the core message has fabulous possibilities, if done with humor – ‘perform under pressure’ could be the base for a lot of funny situations. Will they help in creating a positive impression about Kohler, you may ask. Please do.
Oh they wouldn’t, but at least, I’d go back with a strong takeaway – if poor water pressure is a dominant concern in the back of my mind – I would now know that there IS a solution to my problem.
Kohler could simply answer this by saying that the 3 games have a timer…and if you do not play them right within 30 seconds, you get a message about ‘playing under pressure’ and how Kohler helps even under low pressure. In fact, let me argue against myself and say that the fact I have spent so much time on the site looking for information on shower heads that work under pressure and about limescale in showers show that the campaign has worked. They even have a helpful, opening screen where they ask if we want a tour of their bathroom (!!), before getting on with the ducks and the lady. I chose ‘no’.
Does that work for you? I’d love to know. Because, for me, personally, it doesn’t – I bought a Parryware showerhead at about 1,000+ bucks and am very, very happy with it. The ones advertised by Kohler start at Rs. 3,200+ and is perhaps not something I may be convinced with Bipasha Basu and random duck-involving games in time-consuming flash. For all the sarcasm above, I’m not making fun of this campaign – really. I’m just questioning the appropriateness of something as silly as duck-shooting in the loo, with something as premium and classy as Kohler!
Bonus…enjoy!