Indians soaps have been ruling primetime since years. But these days, one gets to see really brilliant and progressive ads too. Though a limited timeframe is allotted to them, they convey beautiful messages be it social or cultural and have the power to shatter stereotypes. Some ads this year did this wonderfully.
1. Ariel- Son’s share the load
Under their Share the load campaign, this ad shows a mother realizing that although daughters are taught to do everything, be it be work, being financially independent raising kids and doing household chores, sons are conveniently forgotten to be taught to lend a helping hand. It gives a very good message of the need to educate sons to share the household load.
2. Jabong-Be You
With its deep and powerful background score, this beautifully crafted ad urges that there is no shame in being yourself. With different representations in fashion, it conveys the message of taking pride in being unique and YOU.
3. Gillette India- Man enough
Men also have their vulnerabilities and they are humans too who feel pain, and also feel a need to vent out emotions. Crying does not make you less of a man. Unfortunately, society sees this as a sign of weakness. Through this ad, Gillette aims to convey that sometimes pain helps in revealing the best in you.
4. Nike: Just Do It
This American brand with its massive presence in India aims to inspire women to take up sports that are traditionally male-dominated. With new and young talent making a foray in sport, this ad features Ishita Malviya, Joshna Chinappa and Jyoti Ann Burrett along with Deepika Padukone.
5. Dove-Lets break the rules of beauty
Even today, beauty is defined by physical appearance and skin tones. This campaign aims to shatter these rules and stereotypes of beauty by making everyone realize that there is much more to beauty than just a pretty face.
6. Bournvita badam booster: Tayyari Har Exam Ki
Marks chodiye aur seekhne par zor daliye. Such a powerful concept. And this coming from the principal of a school makes it more interesting. It aims to change our way of thinking and go beyond measuring a child’s performance only on the basis of grades and marks which eventually will be forgotten over the years, but what will remain is the learning that they will imbibe in their years as a student
7. Dabur Vatika- Brave and beautiful
Another beautiful ad about a bald woman resuming normal life after a particularly difficult period makes her unsure of how people would react to her current appearance. This article explains how some people don’t need hair to look beautiful. Beauty lies in the heart!
8. Colgate: – Begin again with a smile
A lonely woman finding love in her senior years and her kids being happy and accepting about it forms the crux of this ad. It’s not about searching or demanding acceptance, but making a choice and standing for one’s own happiness.
9. DIYCAM-Ek naya Nazariya
This commercial emphasizes on how one should first explore the truth and keep a distance from judging people basis their religion or appearance.
10. Surf Excel: Rang laaye sang
Released during Holi, it is one of the best ads this year. It gives a message of being sensitive towards others religions and being helpful. The innocence of kids used to convey the message is truly brilliant.
11. Max Fashion-Behen Kuch bhi pehen
Society being judgmental about a women’s clothing sense is something that exists even today. But Max fashion through this campaign conveys that fashion is for everyone and that one should choose to wear whatever she feels like and is comfortable in, and not pay attention to judgements in general.
12. Kotak Mahindra 811-India Invited
Ranveer Singh in this ad shows how we still judge people in society on a number of criteria- religion, caste, appearance, income etc. He compares the Kotak Mahindra 811 account to a railway bench which makes no comparison between the ones who use it.
13. Vicks: Everyone deserves a touch of care
Depicting a true-life story of Gauri Sawant and her adopted daughter Gayatri, this touching ad gives a lot to ponder on. How a transgender woman is raising her daughter, and how the daughter wants to be able to fight for her mother’s rights after growing up strikes a chord.
14. Tanishq
The commercial showcases a Hindu daughter’s-in-law baby shower in her Muslim household. This ad was withdrawn, flowing a love-jihad controversy.
