Brands that cut through: Cadbury Dairy Milk, Netmeds, Khadi, Britannia Pure Magic, Superteam, Dairy Milk Silk, CaratLane, smallcase, Myntra, Maaza, Instax, SBI Life, Hyundai IONIQ, Sebamed, Zivame, Tide, 5 Star, Engage, Indica Easy, Ajio.
Cadbury Dairy Milk | Kabhi Kisi Aur Ki Khushi Main…
The brand just keeps going from strength to strength, building on its solid core with heartwarming stories. ‘Kabhi kisi aur ki khushi main shamil hoke dekhiye’ has more than just legs – it has wings. It has emerged from the very powerful ‘Thank You’ plank and comes across as a fresh manifestation, despite the memorable set of films (Nurse, Caretaker, Laundry) making their mark not too far in the past.
The ‘Bodyguard’ work set this up nicely and the new campaign does not disappoint. The haunting soundtrack of the ‘Thank You’ films gets replaced by a more lively yet pleasant one in the new lot. Every bit equally impressive, yet different. With the new campaign, the brand veers back to and owns the celebrations space, while retaining the ‘Share the joy’ spirit.
Netmeds | The Girl in Red Lipstick | #SilenceCancerNotTheFight
World Cancer Day was here and brands were alive to it. A great occasion for an online pharmacy brand to engage. And to engage meaningfully, Netmeds has chosen to tell the story of a survivor who fought the disease while spreading positivity – with a red lipstick. It’s a unique story that has been brought to life warmly. No tears here. Only smiles. Because the idea is to celebrate the fight, not silence it.
Khadi | The Timeless Fabric Of India
The simplicity of the writing in this film adds veritas. It aligns and complements the brand, which is all about simplicity. The brand that has been reborn a hundred times is telling us that it has moved with the times. Dull, not anymore. Old, until someone decided to make Khadi bold. You do not need poetry in words or motion to make an impact and here is proof. Simple prose can suffice and impress like poetry when poignant. The effort is aided in great measure by the version of Vande Mataram playing as the BGM. The use of elements like buttons in the tricolour are small but effective touches that elevate the viewing experience. When brands ranging from multinationals to national to regional and even political (and their second cousins) invoke patriotism, Khadi has every right to.
Britannia Pure Magic Chocolush | Live This Moment
It is amazing how the makers have used the godman / guru / ashram culture with telling effect without being one bit offensive. It’s funny, and it’s absolutely on product – and on the joy it can bring. ‘Live This Moment’ with ‘Pure Magic’ has been delivered compellingly.
Superteam | Solana Grizzlython | Rogester Now
Are you also wondering how they got away with this? Probably because Roger Federer is a great sport. Or because his team hasn’t spotted it yet. Whatever be the case, the likeness is real and full marks for leveraging it to crazy heights. The humour is working. And this should travel.
Cadbury Dairy Milk Silk | Unforgettable Love Tips
The winning formula continues to win hearts, this time with tips to impress one’s love ahead of Valentine’s Day. The launch film ‘Stud-y-boy’ is impressive and stays within the CDM Silk zone. The Engineering book-picture cake was a nice ploy making for an interesting twist. The influencer advice bits add legs to the brand, helping it own the day of love in the jaunts of the young.
CaratLane | Khul Ke Karo Express
Lovely spot here that urges folks to express themselves, khul ke. ‘Hiding behind emojis is easy, finding the right words is tough’ says the film, drawing from life and delivering a relatable human truth. The brand embeds itself into the situations, inducing and helping people find their expressions. Pleasant and soothing, with nice touches like the woman gifting her husband a ring – one that doesn’t fit. There’s a follow up film announcing a 15-day exchange for situations like those.
smallcase | Millionaires Nahin, Unke Investment Experts Kaam Aayenge
What a riot this this. The line is perfectly scripted. And the films, hilariously. Another fintech brand that has managed to cut through the clutter through the silly humour route. In this case, it also manages to drive its proposition across clearly and strongly using humour.
Myntra | Beauty | Find Your Own Beauty
‘Aapko bata ke kya fayda’! What a line and what delivery. Perfect lead-up to the customised product offering. Crisp and to the point, this one is a beauty. A rare case of intelligent use of celebrity in the beauty space, too.
Maaza | #AamWaliDildaari
It’s a nice thought that builds on the mango drink brand’s ‘Dildaar’ pitch. This edition comes ahead of the summer. ‘Aam-wali generosity’ of a higher plane is the idea, told through the anonymously donated society bench. Amitabh Bachchan delivers as always as does the young lady lead. Maaza is pretty much owning the mango drink space now – I am sure Slice has something cooking. Expect the category to heat up in the coming weeks.
Instax | #KeepItAlive
Now this is a category that could really take off, giving people a tangible picture to hold and behold – if it’s affordable and user friendly. The mobile selfie obsession isn’t going to die anytime soon but there’s something about a printed picture that makes it special. Trying to drive this category is Instax from Fujifilm with this campaign. #KeepItAlive doesn’t restrict the brand to humour, which is the chosen path for these two spots. They are spot on, but the brand could do more.
SBI Life | Sapna Hai Toh Poora Karo
The young woman on stage, speaking about her father turning entrepreneur as she was born, reminds one of the school girl from HDFC Life’s Covid-inspired film. But there ends the similarity. In this case, what he has taught her through his journey – to chase dreams to fruition – is the message. The message aligns well with a brand that promises to help one fulfil his/her dreams and those of their loved ones.
Hyundai IONIQ5 | Power Your World
A different attempt in the car category that should help underline the differentiation the brand is seeking to establish – the silent treatment helps it stand out. The larger template remains as the brand takes viewers on a serene drive while spelling out product features. Certainly raises expectations and will pique interest on the pricing and more.
Sebamed | Ummeed Nahin, Sach
Sebamed continues with its exposes of brands in the skincare and haircare spaces making promises that are too tall to keep. The ‘hope’ with which consumers buy into these promises is the crux of this spot, that urges them to choose the ‘truth’ over ‘hope’. Sebamed has managed to tell its version of the truth rather well in the past and this time is no exception.
Zivame | #WearYourConfidence
Whatever be the occasion and need, Zivame has got you covered. This is a sprightly way to say it while showcasing the variety of goods that are on offer, on consumers across age groups.
Tide Double Power | Khachak Khuchak Chod Do
Very different from the ‘Dirt is good’ and ‘Share the load’ messages that have dominated the category. Entertaining and hummable jingle, makes for good recall value though arguably not as insanely effective as ‘Dettol Dettol Ho’ that was drilled into our heads. The film will get noticed on screens; the brand will hopefully be remembered when seen on store shelves.
5 Star | EscapeValentinesDay.com | Mush Detector
‘My cousin’s wedding’ was serendipity unplugged. EscapeValentinesDay.com is a more tech-driven offering that tells you where not to go if one wants to avoid the mush. I did scan the QR code and enter the pin but it did not seem to be working when I checked. Maybe later. Kudos to 5 Star for sticking to a space that is uniquely suited for its ‘Do nothing’ premise.
Engage Deo Perfumes | Luxury Fragrances
Please don’t ask me what the idea is here. The premise is ‘luxury fragrance’ and that has been brought alive on screen with a fair bit of style and sizzle. Understandably hence, adopts an international feel, models included. The music sets the tone and picks up where it needs to. The package has just about enough to stop one from switching the channel or hitting the skip button.
Indica Easy | Be Always Ready
It’s usually two young people or one old and one young, one helping the other overcome skin or hair problems with the brand being advertised. This is similar, yet brings in a whiff of freshness to the hair dye category with a sisters act. They just framed the plot as a party plan and getting ready for it on time. Indica Easy helps the elder sister do just that. And no, the protagonist isn’t getting advice but giving it. ‘Be Always Ready’ is spot-on positioning for the ‘Easy’ brand.
Ajio | Sneakerhood 2.0
Music, dance, youth, colours, sneakers. Cool and vibrant, though some frames remind one of Campus Shoes’ ‘What’s your move’. Comparisons are inevitable. So if one needs to tread a tried path, one needs to do something better or at least be tangentially different. That said, the touch of ‘sneaker love’ and the young woman who screams when hers get dirty was winsome and helps this stand out.
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