The monsoon is still active across India, and equally it has rained campaigns. After a brief dry spell, brands have found their muse in Independence Day, finding different ways to pay ode to the country. For others, the festive spirit has inspired a creative burst, with brands showing different facets of sibling love in their Raksha Bandhan campaigns.
Restless but responsible
The government’s HarGharTiranga campaign has got the nation buying flags on Independence Day — but then the flag gets discarded and thrown carelessly. Enter denim brand Spykar’s I-day campaign, which urges Indians to uphold the dignity of the national flag. Conceptualised and produced by Brandmovers Interactive India, it is a call to action as it shows youth in their trendy cargoes picking up discarded flags and pocketing them. Spykar has also launched a Raksha Bandhan campaign called Threads of Love that cleverly puns on the threads that go into the making of denim and the threads of love that tie siblings.
The homecoming
MakeMyTrip’s Independence campaign, made in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism, is aimed at NRIs, inviting them to come and see their homeland’s transformation. In the words and voice of Gulzar Saab, “kitna hua hai inn dino badlav toh dekho, tum apne ghar mein laut kar aao toh dekho,” exhorts the film, as it shows progress through flyovers, bridges and the natural beauty of the country with every modern amenity on tap.
Sanskrit for security
Axis Bank’s Independence Day campaign is totally out of the box. It promotes Sanskrit and suggests using words from the language as passwords thereby showing how modern problems can have ancient solutions. Blending tradition with technology, through a Sanskrit professor we get to hear the beauty of the language and how in an era of growing cyber crimes, it can protect us. The bank has created a website www.sanskritpassword.com, where you can translate an English word into Sanskrit.
A sweet AI twist
Cadbury has made festival campaigns an art. Its Raksha Bandhan campaign is a bit too saccharine but comes with an interesting and useful AI creative twist. Cadbury Celebrations’ #CreatingMemoriesNeverClicked campaign calls siblings to turn uncaptured moments into cherished keepsakes. The brand has rolled out a user-friendly microsite, where individuals can transform precious, undocumented moments from their memory into realistic photos. On the campaign website-www.cadburycreatingmemories.com, siblings can share their cherished memories that best define their bond, along with accompanying photographs. Using cutting-edge technology, including AI, a personalised image of the memory is then recreated. Developed by Ogilvy India, the site features facial restoration, out-painting and de-aging to ensure a high-quality and enjoyable experience.
Rakhi rap
Two brands go the rap route in their Raksha Bandhan campaigns. Zepto and The Man Company both use rap-based ad films to bring to you the complicated sibling relationship of rivalry and fights galore but affection at the core. The Man Company’s rap video features an all-female cast, and is voiced by Mumbai-based rapper Krantinaari. It is catchy and has you smiling as it offers a playful, authentic take on the brother-sister duo. Directed by Nikhil Mehrotra and conceptualised by Gurugram-based creative agency Hashtag Orange, the video captures the essence of modern sibling bonds — equal parts love, rivalry and unwavering support, and at the same time weaves in the brand’s core proposition of challenging conventional masculine narratives. Zepto’s “Rakhi Aapki, Lifafa Humara” campaign is a twist on the shagun ka lifafa and also through a rap film shows the teasing nature of sibling relationships.