Brands that cut through: Mountain Dew, Kaam Wapasi, Asian Paints, Philips, Tata Tea, Titan, Parachute, Cadbury, Dabur, HDFC Life, Practo.
Mountain Dew | #JeetengePhirSe
Beyond reimagining a legendary song that lends itself readily to stoke patriotic fervour, Mountain Dew has orchestrated a masterstroke here by fusing it with its own tagline. Contextualising it for an Independence Day amid the pandemic only makes it more relevant. Top class talent has gone into the making of this number and it shows. I don’t recall seeing Mountain Dew speak ‘Indian’ until now. It seems to have scaled that peak with this one swift stroke.
Kaam Wapasi | Kaam Hai Toh Jahan Hai
More than the films promoting the platform, it is the thought behind the platform that deserves mention here. For migrant workers who moved back to their native places during the lockdown, the hesitance to return to cities stems from uncertainty about their employment. On the other hand, there are employers in segments that engage scores of migrant workers, who are unable to scale back to normalcy because of the lack of workforce. KaamWapasi.com becomes a critical bridge between the two. Heartening to see this coming from an advertising agency.
Philips Haircare | Kyunki Baal Bolte Hain
This is not the first ode to hair that has made us go ‘wow’ in recent times. This one, from Philips Haircare, is equally sublime and poetic as the last one, yet unique – rooted in the thought ‘Kyunki Baal Bolte Hain’. Comparisons apart, this is a riveting and delightful watch in its own right.
Tata Tea Premium | #DeshKaKulhad
In this case, it isn’t a question of brand fit with the campaign. It’s more an extension of the brand itself. For a tea brand that has captured regional flavours and celebrated them in its campaigns, thereby owning the position of ‘Desh Ki Chai,’ this is the perfect Independence Day celebration. A platform IndiaKiChai.com to support artisans making earthen cups branded #DeshKaKulhad, sold in partnership with an e-com player. A lot of campaigns we’re seeing of late transcend communication and into action and that is wonderful to see.
Titan | #LetsGetIndiaTicking
‘A simple act of going out and buying something can positively impact the livelihoods of many, so let’s get India buying.’ And since it’s from a watch brand, ‘ticking’.
An important message to boost consumption made by a category leader, inviting others across segments to join in. The device of creating the soundtrack using sounds isn’t entirely new but it takes effort to finish it like this. And not all brands have a signature tune like Titan’s to work on. What is important here is that the campaign doesn’t make the brand come across as one desperately trying to ride the Covid wave.
Asian Paints Tractor Emulsion Shyne | Shyne Wala Paint
“It just looks expensive” is not new as a proposition, but how it has been brought alive in this spot is fresh. The ‘bachcha party’ and their performance elevates the film. The Singapore-Kohlapur humour is believably smile-worthy.
Parachute Advansed | #ThankYouNurses
It’s nice to see a national brand addressing the Onam festival. It makes imminent sense because the people who celebrate the festival are huge consumers of the category. That apart, they are also known to contribute huge numbers to the nurse population across the country. Urging people to dedicate their ‘pookolams’ to nurses is a win-win tribute.
Cadbury Dairy Milk | Thank You (Milkman)
Cadbury continues where it left off with the driver, this time with a milkman. Without too much of a storyline, the film still manages to say ‘Thank you’ and leaves us feeling grateful.
Dabur Red Paste | #ChabaateyRahoIndia
Chaubeyji too resumes where he left off during a cricket series. Cricket or Covd19, Chaubeyji makes Dabur Red Paste and the strong teeth it promises relevant, and he does it with his brand of humour.
HDFC Life | #WhenIGrowUp
Humour has been put to good use in this spot to urge people to secure their income in their old age. The exaggeration and humour route works well to make the point.
Practo | #HelloDoctor
There couldn’t be a more relevant offering at this time, considering the number of cases we hear of people not visiting hospitals for regular (non-Covid19) treatment, purely out of fear. As a result, the pharmacist often doubles up prescribing the medicine, home remedies come into play, or the visit to a specialist is simply postponed. We all know what any of those approaches can lead to. Practo spells this out without tiring us out in these two spots. Video and tele-medicine are just what the market ordered.
Mail: [email protected]
