Chennai: Center fresh, a chewing gum brand from Perfetti Van Melle India, has unveiled a refreshing new campaign that takes a witty approach to the everyday habit of overthinking.
Inspired by findings from the brand’s India Overthinking Report, developed with YouGov, the campaign highlights that 81% of people spend over three hours a day caught up in overthinking. With its new advertisement “Dimaag pe rakhe lagam”, Center fresh positions itself as a refreshing pause in the day — a burst of minty freshness that brings clarity and calm.
The campaign features two quirky new TVCs, blending humor and warmth to showcase everyday situations where people overthink the smallest things. A simple moment of refreshment becomes the cue to break the mental spiral.
Speaking about the campaign, Gunjan Khetan, Director Marketing, Perfetti Van Melle India, said, “Center Fresh has always stood for freshness — and with the new campaign, the minty burst of freshness will help break the cycle of overthinking and bring moments of clarity. The TVC shines a light on those amusing moments of overthinking, inspired by insights from our recently released Center fresh India Overthinking Report. With the tagline ‘Dimaag pe rakhe lagaam’, we’re encouraging consumers to take a pause, stay present, and enjoy a fresh perspective when thoughts start to wander.”
Adding to this, Nikhil Sharma, Managing Director, Perfetti Van Melle India, noted, “At Perfetti Van Melle India, our brands have consistently stayed in step with culture—bringing joy, refreshment, and humour to every possible conceivable moment. With the ‘Dimaag pe rakhe lagaam’ campaign, Center fresh steps into an interesting new space. The brand has presence in over 3 million outlets in India and that’s why it aims to excite its consumers with new campaigns. The two TVCs directed by Nitesh Tiwari and conceptualised by our agency partner Ogilvy delivers, interesting look into overthinking spirals in our everyday lives.”
Nitesh Tiwari, director of the ad films, shared, “While directing the ad films, what excited me most was the opportunity to visualise what overthinking actually feels like—the inner chaos, the spiral, the absurd ‘what ifs’ we all carry. The opportunity was to keep it real but light, to find humour in the madness that is relatable. Center Fresh’s role as a simple disruptor—a small moment that snaps you back to the moment, fits in beautifully. It’s rare when a brand insight gives you such rich, relatable storytelling.”
Crafted by Ogilvy, the campaign’s bold and humorous narrative connects especially with younger audiences navigating digital chatter, mixed signals, and everyday stress.
Anurag Agnihotri, Chief Creative Officer – West, Ogilvy India, said, “We wanted to capture those universal moments of overthinking that people silently battle every day. Reading too much into a deleted message, wondering if your own cash looks like a bribe, these moments perfectly reflect how the smallest trigger can send your brain into complete overdrive. Center Fresh, with its burst of freshness, becomes that tiny but powerful moment of clarity. A reality check that snaps you out of the spiral and puts the brakes on your racing mind. Because sometimes all your overthinking brain needs is to hit refresh.”
The ‘Dimaag pe rakhe lagam’ campaign is live across TV, digital platforms, and social media. By blending cultural insight with humor, Center fresh reinforces its evolution from just a chewing gum brand to a go-to refreshment for the mind.
