Chandrayaan took the top spot in the annual ‘Hits of the Year’ survey conducted by ad agency Rediffusion’s consumer insights think tank Red Lab.
For the purpose of the survey, a ‘Hit’ has been defined as an event, personality, trend, technology, or just a popular word – anything that found fame and gained mass acceptance.
Researchers at Red Lab scanned headline-making news events and newsmakers in 2023, creating a long list of 130. This was reviewed by an expert panel consisting of thought leaders, culture czars and business captains from different domains, who distilled this down to 35 ‘Hits’.
The list if 35 was put to a poll amongst 2,078 respondents across India (18 to 45 years, 56 pc Male, 44 pc Female) in end November / early December to arrive at the top 20.
“2023 has been nothing short of being an eventful year for India, with significant strides made by our nation on a global scale and equally significant stories pouring in from its dynamic nooks and corners – all gracing national headlines. Many of them find a place in the ‘Hits of the Year’ 2023’,” said Dr. Sandeep Goyal, Chairman Rediffusion.
The ‘Hits of the Year’ 2023 according to the study are below, along with a brief note from Red Lab.
1. Chandrayaan-3: India’s Tryst with the Moon
The whole country watched with pride as our beloved Chandrayaan-3 became the first country to soft-land on the south pole of the Moon on August 23rd – the 41-day voyage through space emblematic of India’s space programme.
2. G-20 Summit: The World Comes Home to India
India successfully hosted the 18th G-20 Summit for the first time and was able to achieve all round consensus on the New Delhi Declaration. India’s role as the host to such a large global event caught the imagination of even the average Indian.
3. Narendra Modi: Leader of the Hour
Brand NaMo received a big shot in the arm in 2023. While Hits 1 & 2 – Chandrayaan 3 and G-20 – added to his aura, the assembly sweeps in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh further reinforced his charisma as the tallest leader in the country.
4. SRK: The Return of the King
King Khan made a comeback of blockbuster proportions, delivering not one but two megahits this year. Pathaan (Rs.1,050.30 cr worldwide) and Jawan (Rs.1,140.5 cr), re-established SRK as India’s biggest superstar (ever?).
5. AI – The Artificial Intelligence Generation
From producing life-like images to allegedly formulating new mathematical models, AI has ‘generated’ a global fascination with all the places this new tech will take us. India too recognises that, and AI in 2023 has become part of the common lexicon.
6. The Uttarakhand Tunnel Rescue
41 construction workers were trapped in a collapsed tunnel in Uttarakhand for 17 days till a group of ‘rat-miners’ used handheld drills to create a gap large enough for the tunnel workers to be squeezed out, and the great escape was accomplished.
7. Virat Kohli: The Man, The Myth, The Legend
Virat Kohli crossed his idol and national treasure Sachin Tendulkar to become the first cricketer ever to score 50 centuries in one day cricket. With an almost perfect World Cup, Virat silenced even the most vociferous of critics in 2023.
8. The International Year of Millets
The UN declared 2023 as the International Year of Millets, and the Indian Government gave millet farming a push during the Union Budget session in February 2023. In 2023 Millets became both ‘fashionable’ and ‘healthy-to-eat’ to India at large.
9. Shubman Gill: Big Hitter is a Big Hit
Shubman Gill earned a top spot not only on the ODI rankings, but also on Google’s Most Searched list in 2023. His good looks, his romantic pairings with Bollywood beauties, his increasing number of brand endorsements and the growing buzz around him as the next Indian captain made him a surefire Hit in 2023.
10. A Historic Asian Games for India
India outdid itself during the Asian Games 2023 in Hangzhou, China, winning a total of 107 medals – 28 gold, 38 silver, and 41 bronze. The record haul is a solid marker of India’s rising sporting prowess on the global stage.
11. Naatu Naatu: India on the International Stage
RRR’s ‘Naatu Naatu’ rocked the world bagging the Oscar for ‘Best Original Song’ getting everyone to bust a move. The heartfelt The Elephant Whisperers produced by Guneet Monga, won the Best Documentary Short Film. Big wins!
12. India Goes Electric
EV sales grew by 83 pc in March 2023, vis-a-vis 2022. Almost every major car brand launched an EV model this year, while two wheelers like Ola Electric, TVS Electric and Ather Energy stole a big share from traditional automakers.
13. Gold is Back
‘Gold’ shone brighter than ever through 2023. Between Diwali 2022 and 2023, gold gave a whopping 21 pc return on investment (RoI). The increasing popularity of digital gold and gold bonds also made investment in gold safer and more attractive.
14. Quick Commerce, Domestic Tourism (co-ranked 14)
(i) The Battle for Quickest Commerce
Quick Commerce came to dominate the retail industry this 2023 with a market size of $700 million in 2023, and is likely to grow eight times to reach the $5.5 billion mark by 2025.
(ii) A Surge in Domestic Tourism
Post-pandemic ‘revenge’ travel has gradually become ‘revive-and-rejuvenate’ travel. In 2022, over 1731 million domestic tourist visits were made across India. In 2023, the number is expected to top 2300 million.
15. The ODI Cricket World Cup
The ICC Cricket World Cup held in India was an unprecedented carnival. Things gathered momentum after India’s round robin victory over Pakistan. India eventually lost in the Finals but great fun was had by all.
16. Just Looking Like a Wow
Jasmeen Kaur, who has been running her shop in New Delhi for the last 18 years, found overnight fame with her use of a superlative expression “looking like a wow”. Her positive demeanour and infectious energy went global, with celebrities jumping onto the bandwagon.
17. The Great Indian Celebrity Wedding
Bollywood stars marrying cricketers, Bollywood stars marrying political leaders – All these ignited the popular imagination and were big Hits with the public.
18. Mahua Moitra: One Woman Army
Despite being expelled from the Lok Sabha and battling a defamation case, the TMC ex(pelled) MP was a big Hit with the junta.
19. The Never-Ending Season of Deals
Summer sales, festive sales, Black Friday sales, clearance sales – Amazon India reported their 2023 Great Indian Festival sale as being the best in its 13 years in India.
20. Authentic – no Fakes, Fake News or Deep Fakes
The word ‘authentic’ made it to Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Year, generating high volumes of interest both online and offline in India too. Authentic is in.
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