(9 January 2008 4:00 pm)

MUMBAI: Indian social networking website Ibibo.com has launched a new television commercial (TVC) "the balti" (bucket).

Ibibo.com says that it offers customers a micro-perspective by launching innovative Internet products and services with a local flavour.

For the TVC, Ibibo used the concept of train travel. The company notes that films have been made on cross-country train journeys with strangers connecting and talking. People end up bonding and making new friends, which, more often than not, outlast the journey.

The commercial features a well versed train traveller from the heartland of India doing his utmost to converse and attempt to bond with another passenger. Interestingly, the protagonist is an optimistic individual, while the other person is a bucket or a balti.

The balti symbolises a person who does not respond and has nothing to share. Subtle humour plays a role which runs as a thread through the entire commercial, with the most unusual revelation at the end of the commercial: “Kuch log balti hote hain, aur balti nahin bolti, bolta hai India ibibo.com par.”

Ibibo claims to bring people together to “Empower Indians to create and share information and in the process, discover people.” This drive is an extension of raising awareness on various subjects wherein people who share a common interest can interact.

ibibo Web CEO Ashish Kashyap says, “The brief that we gave to the agency was simple – to create a clutter-breaking campaign that drives home the fact that everyone has the need to share, express, bond and meet new people."