McDonald’s and Sensodyne develop surprisingly identical videos
A few weeks ago Sensodyne released a video on the eve of Mother’s Day. The video was uploaded on 2nd May 2019 on YouTube by the brand. The communication was titled Hasaas Rishtay. On 11th May 2019 McDonald’s uploaded its Mother’s Day video with a theme Mamta Ek Jazba. Both communications have striking similarities as far as theme, treatment and story are concerned.
Identical storylines
Sensodyne video starts with a young professional working in office. He is busy in office while getting phone calls from home asking him when he will be back. He answers that he would be late. we see him working till late at night. When he finally reaches home, he finds his mother still awake and waiting. She has not eaten. The son is moved by the love of his mother. They eat together and the video ends on an emotional note saying ‘Rishtay tou sabhi hasaas hotay hain’.
McDonald’s video kicks off with a young lady leaving for office. It is clearly shown in the beginning that she has a mother to care about. As she reaches office she gets busy in her work. Just as in Sensodyne video, she too starts getting calls from her mother and her reply is also the same. She leaves office very late and on reaching home she finds her mother waiting for her. Again the end of the video seems identical as it gets emotional with the punch line ‘Ma ko bhi mamta ki zarorat hoti ha’.
Same theme
While thinking about marketing campaigns or creative ideas, creative minds tend to think alike. It could be a coincidence that creative teams working for McDonald’s and Sensodyne came up with exactly the same theme and idea supported by similar storylines. Sensodyne uploaded the video on YouTube almost a week before McDonald’s. The brand could claim that their idea is the original.
Similar treatment
The treatment of the two ads is surprisingly alike. There are few variables that set the two apart. The jingle of Sensodyne is very emotional and hits the right spots. The word ‘hasaas’ (sensitive) connects well with the brand. On the other hand, although McDonald’s comes naturally into the video yet it fails to establish a deep rooted connection with the theme.
It is interesting that nobody noticed this striking similarity until now. It is hard to fathom the idea that the videos are coincidently the same. It would also be difficult to identify who developed the creative first as there is little time difference between the two videos.
