Careem Kar Ibtida: an inspirational roller coaster ride
BY ALI NAQVI –
History remembers only the doers and go-getters. People with potential and talent can be lost in the shadows of eternal oblivion if they lack the will to act. Pakistan soon after its creation was riddled with constitutional and political crisis that marred the nation’s capacity to be practically ambitious. Careem Kar Ibtida is a stark reminder that our nation still needs a spark to get things started.
Careem Kar Ibtida is, no doubt, an inspirational idea. The idea which is too indirect to be linked with the brand. The 158 seconds long TVC has nothing to suggest that it’s about an online transportation company until the last few seconds when it sings off with the Careem logo. It would be a folly to consider the TVC as marketing communication. It is developed more like a public service message than a creative advertising campaign.
The campaign has a strong emotional and inspirational value. The narration is powerful enough to jolt the dumbest of minds and persuasive to the extent of rousing ambitions among the feeblest of hearts. Careem Kar Ibtida juxtaposes positives with the negatives for the dramatic effect. There is enough time to pace the concept developed on the slices of life. Real life situations are bunched together with the strength of Kar Ibtida.
With all things looking good for the campaign, the question is, is it too big for the brand itself? Or, is it a suitable time to launch this campaign that could have made more sense on occasions like Independence Day and 23rd March.
With Airlift and SWVL now on the roads both Uber and Careem, now virtually one company, will have to revisit their marketing strategy. SWVL has taken the public transport of major cities of Pakistan by storm. SWVL is swelling up by offering unlimited free rides and even Airlift which has been operational for more than a year is taken aback. In such a situation companies like Careem would really have to do more than just creating a great inspirational film.
Careem Kar Ibtida could have used different situations to complement the narration, sequences that could be linked to their service more logically and seamlessly. At the end of the day the customer should feel some kind of affinity with the brand otherwise a communication is pointless. The long duration of the TVC is also a negative for the brand.
After weighing the pros and cons Careem Kar Ibtida stands tall among the current brand communications. It’s the idea we need to remind ourselves that we have to go a long way on the road to progress and prosperity but sadly we have not yet taken the first step.
