As India celebrated its 78th Independence Day on August 15, this year, the occasion became a beacon for brands wanting to honour the nation’s hard-won freedom with their respectively weaved in creative narratives intertwining with the very fabric of patriotism, freedom, nationalism and cultural values.
It has been customary for brands, especially the legacy and Make In India ones, to come up with ad campaigns on India’s Independence Day since the beginning of time, making room for some of the most heartfelt and iconic ad campaigns of all times like- Doordarshan’s infamous Mile Sur Mera Tumhara, Cadbury Dairy Milk’s Unity Bar, Reliance’s Silent Anthem, Liberty’s #InTheNameOfLiberty, ITC’s Har Ghar Tiranga, Godrej’s Sounds Of Making India, RedBus’ Road To 1947, Britannia’s 1947% More History, etc.
This year too, the trend continued as multiple brands not only championed the freedom struggle of the country’s valiant freedom fighters but also brought into perspective what it means to live and breathe in free India. Some brands even took it upon themselves to spotlight what freedom means for people according to them, giving a sneak peak into the country’s great Indian Freedom Struggle, the glorious states of culturally diverse yet vibrant India with traces of freedom movement, and much more.
Let’s have a look at some of the ad campaigns that caught our attention this Independence Day:
Table of Contents
Mountain Dew
Known for its popular tagline- Dar Ke Aage Jeet Hai, Mountain Dew, a leading beverage brand from the house of PepsiCo India decided to celebrate India’s Independence Day with its new ad campaign which underscores the importance of championing the true spirit of courage by breaking free from gender stereotypes.
Titled ‘Courage Has No Bias’, the campaign encourages Indians to attain freedom from their own biases and honour the true Bold Spirit within themselves. The centerpiece of this campaign is a gripping TVC that features a parkour challenge where three hooded athletes approach a tall ledge and while two of them hesitate and back off, the protagonist decides to take the leap after taking a ‘courage’ sip of Mountain Dew.
As a prelude to this campaign, the brand had experimented with a teaser on its Instagram page where it revealed only one part of the film showcasing the protagonist’s decision to leap and not the outcome viewers were asked to guess how the story would unfold. Remarkably, over 80% respondents assumed the protagonist was male, highlighting prevalent gender biases and only to find out that the athlete who successfully landed with a Mountain Dew bottle was a woman.
TATA Tea Premium
TATA Tea Premium-Desh Ki Chai, flagship tea brand from Tata Consumer Products has launched its Independence Day campaign titled #DeshkaGarv-Pradesh Ki Kala. This campaign celebrates moments of pride from India’s glorious post-independence journey such as the Green Revolution of Punjab that contributed towards making the country self-sufficient in food grains, Delhi’s 1982 Asian Games that heralded the start of Colour TV revolution, among other such events.
With an attempt to immortalise these milestones and let consumers reminisce India’s proud history, the brand has launched a limited-edition regional art inspired #DeshKaGarv collection. In line with the brand’s ethos of evoking national pride while celebrating regional glory, each set is exquisitely depicted in a unique regional art style inspired by India’s diverse state cultures.
ITC
ITC has honoured the nation with a special musical composition titled ‘Desh Ek Raag’, performed by the Gurus and Shishyas of the ITC Sangeet Research Academy (ITC-SRA). This captivating piece beautifully blends various forms of Hindustani Classical Music, reflecting the rich cultural heritage of India.
SBI General Insurance
SBI General Insurance, one of India’s leading general insurance companies, also unveiled a compelling film to commemorate India’s 78th Independence Day. Capturing the nation’s remarkable journey from independence to its current status as a global powerhouse, the campaign with the promise of ‘Suraksha’ (safety) aur ‘Bharosa’ (trust), reaffirms SBI General Insurance’s commitment to supporting India’s continued growth and development.
The digital film features a series of captivating visual journeys through India’s most significant milestones since 1947- from agricultural revolutions to space exploration and highlights the country’s extraordinary achievements across various sectors, including economic growth, technological advancements, and scientific breakthroughs. Furthermore, it also innovatively blends historical pride with forward-looking optimism, emphasising the brand’s role as a trusted partner in India’s ongoing journey of progress.
Spykar
Spykar, a leading denim brand of the country, decided to take a stand for the nation’s pride and respect this Independence Day by launching a powerful #YoungRestlessResponsible campaign that intends to inspire the young and restless to be responsible and urges them to uphold the dignity of the national flag by addressing the disheartening issue of discarded national flags.
Conceptualised and produced by Brandmovers Interactive India, Spykar’s #YoungRestlessResponsible campaign is more than just a call to action- it is a reflection of the brand’s commitment to the nation and its ability to create a lasting impact on society by serving as a powerful platform to raise awareness about the importance of respecting national symbols and encouraging young Indians to be active participants in building a better future.
Asian Paints and St+art India Foundation
In celebration of India’s 78th Independence Day, and marking a decade-long partnership between Asian Paints and St+art India Foundation, they have unveiled their project titled ‘Dawn of Valour’. Part of Asian Paints’ Independence Day campaign, the mural stands as a powerful tribute to the Indian armed forces in Tawang, located on the Indo-Sino border.
This initiative features art interventions devoted to honouring the bravery and dedication of the Indian Defence Forces.
redBus
To honour and mark the occasion of India’s 78th Independence Day, redBus also took forward its famous ‘Route to 47’ campaign, focussing on the ‘Roads of India’s Revolutions’ this time. Recognising that several Indians today are not closely connected with their history and the pivotal role that local heroes and landmarks played in shaping the cities, towns and streets they live on, the brand took to integrating technology with history by developing an augmented reality (AR) filter on Instagram and running an Independence Day contest on its Instagram handle wherein users who were connected with India’s history stood a chance to win up to Rs. 5000.
This innovative AR filter allows users to scan any road surface in India and engage with an immersive journey that narrates the stories of major routes and their roles in the nation’s freedom struggle. For this edition, redBus also leveraged Google’s My Maps, where it had earlier showcased 47 historically significant routes across India that contributed to the journey of the nation’s independence.
Here’s how users can active the full campaign:
- Open the Instagram filter and scan any road surface in India.
- A map of India will appear, highlighting 47 major routes. Users can click on any route and embark on an immersive journey that narrates the stories of key routes and their roles in the nation’s freedom struggle.
- To view a video on how this works, click here.
- Users can also use Google’s My Maps to view 47 historic routes, where they can click on each major route to view animations and delve deeper into the historical significance of these paths.
Siyaram’s
Siyaram’s, a leading name in the textile industry, took to Instagram to roll out a a new video celebrating India’s rich cultural heritage by weaving in the quotient- ‘Happy Independence Day’ with each colour telling a story—saffron for courage, white for peace, and green for growth.
Ixigo
In the spirit of patriotism, ixigo launched a campaign on Instagram #CelebratingIndia, leading up to Independence Day and featured a series of nine reels designed to align with the vibrant colors of the Indian tricolor, showcasing India’s unique landscapes, inviting travellers to explore the diverse terrain that unites India as a nation.
The saffron section of the campaign celebrates India’s historic landscapes with the Saffron Dunes of Rajasthan, where Thar desert, Pushkar desert, Bikaner desert, Jodhpur desert, etc., reflect the state’s rich culture. It also highlights Breathtaking Sunset Spots such as Varanasi Ghats, Alleppey beach, Brahmaputra river, among others, across the country. The section ends with a tribute to Famous Forts of India, featuring Amber Fort, Red Fort, Golconda Fort, Mehrangarh Fort.
In the white section, ixigo captures the pristine beauty of India’s landscapes. It begins with Year-Round Snow in India including Rohtang Pass, Auli, Siachen, Chang La Pass etc. It also showcases India’s Serene Waterscapes with the likes of Chandratal lake, Havelock island, Agatti beach, among others, capturing tranquil scenes of lakes, rivers, and coastal waters. It concludes with India’s Largest Salt Desert, portraying the vast white expanses of the Rann of Kutch. The green section maps India’s natural wonders. It starts with the Tea Trails of India, offering a glimpse of Darjeeling, Munnar, Kangra, Nilgiri, and Assam tea plantations. It also explores Iconic Forest Reserves, highlighting India’s rich biodiversity parks such as Jim Corbett, Kaziranga, Sundarban, Bandipur National Parks, among others. The section wraps up with Scenic Treks of India, showcasing Chembra Peak, Valley of flowers, Parashar Lake and Rajmachi trek, etc.
Niva Bupa Health Insurance Company
With Indians gearing up to celebrate this year’s Independence Day, Niva Bupa Health Insurance Company (formerly Max Bupa Health Insurance Company) launched an ad campaign titled- ‘Sirf Chutti Mat Manao’ to drive the adoption of health insurance. In the campaign, the brand highlighted that given that this year’s Independence Day falls on a Thursday, with the following Monday being Rakshabandhan, it becomes a lucrative option for people to plan an early and extended weekend.
Building on this insight, the campaign nudges Indians to not just enjoy the extended weekend but also secure their freedom from unplanned medical exigencies whilst being an opportunity for people to enjoy to the fullest and have a relaxing day with their family. Lending his voice to this campaign is Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub.
Angel One
Focusing on empowering individuals on their financial journey, fintech brand- Angel One launched its Independence Day #AzaadiKaRaasta campaign which features an impactful social-first approach illustrating the journey towards financial freedom as it believes that celebrating the journey is as much important as the destination, and one needs to acknowledge the effort, determination and perseverance required to gain control over one’s financial future.
Through this initiative, Angel One aims to inspire and support individuals on their journey, acknowledging that every step towards financial empowerment is a milestone worth celebrating. Beginning with a narration on the universal quest for financial freedom, the film showcases diverse individuals on their path to financial independence and with compelling visuals, underscores the dedication and hard work needed to achieve this goal, highlighting scenes of people studying markets, making investments and celebrating milestones.
Smotect
Smotect, a leading D2C wellness company dedicated to helping individuals overcome tobacco addiction through innovative, nicotine-free solutions, has launched its new video campaign this Independence Day with an impactful message-‘Tambaku Chodo aur Azaadi Chuno’.
Conceptualised and executed by ChtrSocial, the campaign video draws focus on how every tobacco user is enslaved by their habit, emphasising that switching to nicotine free solutions like Azaadi, a natural, nicotine-free and a perfect alternative to chewable tobacco, unlike conventional harmful alternatives, is a crucial step towards freedom from these limitations.
Simply Fresh
Simply Fresh, the flagship brand of BN Group, has launched a powerful new brand film in tribute to the spirit of Indians driving the nation’s progress.
Titled ‘Azadi Ek Zimmedaari Hai’, the film compellingly showcases stories that reflect values such as responsibility, mutual respect, and unity while exploring the true essence of freedom in a rapidly evolving India.
Public App
This Independence Day, Public App, a local content platform, has launched the #PublicSalutes campaign, paying tribute to the unwavering courage and dedication of India’s freedom fighters.
The campaign showcased over 5,000 stories of freedom fighters from 500+ districts across the nation with the help of district-wise collection of Commemorative Cards, along with exclusive feature interviews with the “living legends” of India’s freedom struggle, capturing their personal narratives and letting their voices tell the story.
The initial phase of the campaign focused on highlighting the stories of India’s freedom fighters from every corner of the country. For the second part of the campaign, Public App engaged with content creators across the country to collect first-hand testimonies from living freedom fighters.
MediBuddy
MediBuddy, a digital healthcare platform, has unveiled a campaign celebrating strength through health. This initiative aims to democratise healthcare access across India, embodying the powerful message – ‘Empowering a Healthier, Stronger India’. The campaign aims to connect personal health with national strength, urging viewers to take charge of their well-being as a contribution to India’s progress.
The campaign acknowledges the irreplaceable role of each citizen in building a stronger India, particularly regarding their health.
Aaj Tak
On Independence Day, Aaj Tak will present a special episode of “Jai Ho” hosted by Sweta Singh along with Shilpa Shetty featuring Hussainiwala, a site of historical significance where Bhagat Singh was cremated and which houses his iconic pistol. In conjunction with the special episode, Aaj Tak is powering people’s Instagram with an Augmented Reality (AR) filter of Bhagat Singh as part of its digital campaign under the hashtag #JaiHo. The AR filter offers its users to virtually wear Bhagat Singh’s iconic hat and moustache. All one needs to do is scan the QR code and relive the moment of pride. Users are encouraged to share their transformed images on social media using the hashtag #JaiHo and tagging Aaj Tak, allowing them to express their respect for freedom fighters and patriotism for the nation.
Rentomojo
Rentomojo has launched its latest initiative, the ‘Brave to Be Free’ campaign, which aims to inspire individuals to break free from societal norms and pursue their true passions. This campaign is a powerful call for those who feel confined by routine, financial pressures, and societal expectations.
The ‘Brave to Be Free’ campaign sheds light on the daily struggles faced by countless individuals – who find themselves stuck in the routine cycle, unable to step out of their comfort zones. Rentomojo seeks to change this narrative by inspiring individuals to break free from societal expectations and live life driven by passion, confidence, and the courage to chase their dreams.
Ambuja Cements and ACC
Ambuja Cements and ACC, the cement and building material companies under the diversified Adani Portfolio, honoured India’s 78th Independence Day by releasing new brand films as a tribute to the nation.
iThrive
This Independence Day, iThrive has extended its “Making the Right Choice” campaign, shifting focus towards tackling India’s critical health challenges. Centred around the theme ‘Freedom from Lifestyle Diseases’, the campaign seeks to educate and empower individuals to make informed lifestyle choices for better health.
Federal Bank
