MUMBAI: When speaking to older generations of Indians about Diwali, there’ll be a possibility of hearing cherished stories about the festival of lights, accompanied by concerns over the gradual erosion of tradition and the rise of tokenism in celebrations. This insight has inspired Thought Blurb Communications, the advertising agency, in their latest Diwali film for Parle-G.
The 3-minute-long film has been released in the digital media last weekend. The agency said that it has already gone viral with people sharing it in various WhatsApp Groups. This is the third film created by Thought Blurb Communications for Parle-G, that it said has gone viral in the last 40 days! Ganpati and Teacher’s Day films were the other two.
At the heart of the film is the despondence of a grandmother feeling alienated by a changing world, and a grandson who is just learning that another world existed before his time. This precipitates a set of decisions on the latter’s part.
The film brings out a number of aspects in both the central characters. The need to hold on to a way of life, the joy of working together as a family on such occasions. These are traditions that are fading as commercialisation sets in.
The grandmother simply lays out the joy that was Diwali, in her day. The lesson is implicitly learned, and the grandson feels compelled to bring them back. It is not a teaching moment. It’s merely a transfer of joy. That is where the brand excels with their message, ‘Genius wohi, jo auron ke khushi mein paye apni khushi’.
As Mayank Shah, VP, Parle Products said, “At every point of the spectrum, Parle-G films hope to evoke a certain amount of emotion. This has been a cornerstone of our past work. This Diwali, we decided to highlight our Diwali traditions in a unique way that has so far been unexplored.”
Covering the ground between campaigns, Vinod Kunj, founder, chief creative officer Thought Blurb Communications sums it up saying, “Diwali ads pose a certain difficulty. The scope has been defined over and over, and a lot has been created on the subject. I am proud of the team who stepped across the boundaries of thought and brought this concept to light.”
Sometimes an idea comes from weeding away the chaff from the wheat. Renu Somani, National Creative Director of Thought Blurb Communications said, “We went through the Diwali ads of many brands from the past, and realised that this thought had not been explored, and not articulated as such. This concept had promise and we went for it.”
Returning to basics is not a popular concept that resonates with younger people. However, seeing family members in a whole new light certainly is. When that perception sets in, the impulse to renew the relationship becomes imperative. Parle-G’s new Diwali film aims to make consumers look at family in a whole new light. And with it, our relationship to Diwali.
