In its new ad, Cars24 has driven back in time with an unexpected duo in the driver and passenger seats: Vikram and Betaal. In this retelling, however, Betaal is haunted by Vikram’s new car.
Cars24, an e-commerce platform for buying and selling used cars, has rolled out the “Vikram Ka Vaada” campaign, a clever name presumably after the company’s CEO, Vikram Chopra. The CEO, in fact, is playing Vikram in the ad. The campaign promises a lifetime warranty on the car, which it says is a first in India. The ghost Betaal, meanwhile, is a different man now: a car enthusiast, curious to know the limits of the 30-day return policy of Cars24.
The ad film starts with Vikram driving a car when he sees Betaal hanging upside down from a tree. He asks CEO Vikram if Cars24 is really offering a 30-day return policy. Vikram’s answer only piques Betaal’s curiosity. He shoots follow-up questions, almost in a rapid-fire style, about the policy, such as: what if he didn’t enjoy the ride, what if the car’s colour didn’t look good, or what if his wife didn’t like the car. His wife becomes the third character in the film. This gives the commercial’s once-lonely ghost a partner, and she likes the car. They both hug, and Betaal is happy.
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Folk tale, brand and identity
The story of Vikram and Betaal dates back to the 12th century and is found in the Sanskrit text Kathasaritsāgra, or the “Ocean of the Streams of Stories”. The stories follow King Vikramaditya, who promised a sage that he would capture a Betaal, a ghost hanging upside down from a tree. But there is a condition. Betaal would only come with the King if he listened to his story and solved the riddle he poses at the end. Betaal asks Vikramaditya 24 questions, which the King answers, but Betaal keeps returning to the tree. It is the King’s 25th answer that finally convinces Betaal to go with him.
After Ramayana‘s success, Doordarshan decided to make more shows on folk tales. In 1985, Vikram Aur Betaal was telecast on Indian television for the first time and retelecast in 1988. Arun Govil played Vikram, and he also played Ram in Ramanand Sagar’s Ramayana.
Companies dealing with the used-car category usually rely on a trustworthy face. For instance, Spinny, the competitor of Cars24, created advertisements with cricketing legend Sachin Tendulkar. But Cars24 chose to make its CEO, Vikram Chopra as Vikram and Betaal its brand identity.
Advertising in this category reassures customers without really listening to them. But with this advertisement, Cars24 has given a voice and a platform to its customers through Betaal, which clarifies any doubts that the customers may have.
The commercial is not standalone, with more short ad films expected to be released in the near future.
Views are personal.
(Edited by Ratan Priya)