There are people who are happy with traveling the well-trodden path, who are so terrified of negative reactions that they dare not do anything new or groundbreaking. This week at least, we are glad to know that these people don’t work for Mobilink. Yes, we are talking about the incredible front-page ad on urdu newspapers featuring Nargis Fakhri and all her contours.
The ad by Mobilink Jass, IÂ mean Mobilink Jazz, announces the launch of a new line of smartphones and a feature phone for the low-end market, all priced less than 8000 and 3G enabled. Mobilink is calling these phones Jazz X; Xcite for Feature Phone and Xplore for smarpthones. Now who would have a problem with that? Does the socio-cultural elitist establishment want to deprive the middle class of affordable 3G enabled cellphones? Why so much fuss over this ad then? As far as we can see Ms Fakhri is completely covered, except for her hands and face and head, which is acceptable, and if it isn’t, what have we been fighting for really?
Related: “I was unaware…”: Nargis Fakhri finally speaks out about Mobilink ad controversy
And then the most important complaint against this ad, what people don’t tell you but will only point to, is that what they are really against is the SHAPE of Ms.Fakhri. First of all, whatever shape Ms Fakhri is in is nobody but her own business and her body, beautiful, perfect body, should not be subject to needless criticism or ogling. Secondly, the way news stories and columns so lovingly accommodate, nay, embrace Ms Fakhri as one of their own on the page wrapping themselves around her, is nothing short of artistic, and after all is said and done, after the geniuses responsible for this ad are fired or disciplined, aren’t you, deep down inside your heart, glad that this exists?
The launch of Jazz X range with 3G services will enable consumers, especially from marginalized communities, to be included in the ongoing digitization process, and since the line is called X, the ad also deserves some X in it. It takes courage and creativity to pull this off and Moblink has definitely managed to do that. This campaign gives Mobilink a fantastic end and a wonderful start for next year with news that the phones are already selling like hot cakes, and why wouldn’t they? Certainly it will remain the most talked about camping of the year 2015.
While many are calling for scalps of the teams behind this, this critic can only laud the efforts of these brave pioneers who have only taken the advertising industry forward with this ad.
