Mattel's first mainstream campaign for Scrabble

Mattel Toys for the very first time have approached its communication through the mainstream advertising path for Scrabble. This is common worldwide but was yet to be seen in the Indian markets. The campaign conveys a clear message that by playing Scrabble, you increase your vocabulary.

The TVC shows twin brothers arriving late for their karate class. As the instructor reprimands, one says that he overslept and is instantly punished. The other brother, portrayed as the smarter one (and a Scrabble player), says he suffers from 'clinomania'. The instructor, who obviously does not know that the word means the desire to sleep more, quickly asks him to rest. Ideated by Ogilvy India, this campaign clearly communicates that playing Scrabbles is fun and makes you smarter.

Speaking exclusively to Adgully, Rahul Bhowmik, Head Marketing Mattel Toys India said, "The aim of the TVC was to position Scrabble as a fun game that enhances one's vocabulary while getting entertained. The commercial shows that knowing big words isn't boring. In fact, it's so much fun that a child can learn big words, boost their English vocabulary and put it to effective day to day learning. The TVC clearly communicates and highlights that Smart kids play Scrabble.

In keeping with the genre of infotainment, the Scrabble TVC appeals to children's sense of mischievous fun, by showing them how knowing big words can get them out of tight spots. "Of course, parents viewing the commercial would read between the lines and know that Scrabble promotes learning in a manner that children would be receptive to. They would likely be convinced to go out and purchase this winning tool with which to boost their child's English vocabulary, something so essential to finding one's way in today's world," adds Bhowmik

The campaign has received overwhelmingly positive response. Compared to its compatriots, Scrabble stands apart as a game that not only promotes a sense of competition and fair play, but at its core is all about "Fun with words". "It was this aspect of being able to get smarter with words as you play more Scrabble, that we wanted to highlight in the current TVC. We feel that this is a viewpoint that will resonate strongly among Scrabble enthusiasts across all ages throughout the country," said Bhowmik.

For more than 60 years now, families and enthusiasts across the globe have been pitting their wits against each other over the Scrabble board. It is the world's largest selling word game, with over 150 million sets sold in 30 different languages across 121 countries. Scrabble stands for fun with words. That Scrabble is also played as a mind sport at a professional level like other sports in the world, speaks volumes about the games popularity both at the amateur and professional levels, among kids, young adults and die-hard fans alike. | By Janees Antoo [janees(at)adgully.com