The jury is still out on whether the best brand advertising in the USA is witnessed during the Super Bowl or during the Christmas holiday season. Across the world, be it during Ramadan in the Middle East and other parts of Asia with a sizeable muslim population, or Christmas in many parts of the world, or Diwali in India, the respective festive season brings out the best advertising and it is not just about the spirit of goodness and bonding. It is also about the propensity and ability to buy on the part of consumers during festivals. While IPL and Super Bowl may guarantee eyeballs, festivals provide that extra incentive, justifying sizeable marketing budgets in the hope of a bountiful response from the market.
“There are two major ‘advertising events’ in India. The IPL and then the Deepavali festival season. This year, of course, we have the bonus of a World Cup to add to the festivities. In this season, the expectation is to see new campaigns from the large players and the new ones trying to upstage them. Whilst I personally feel that Deepavali-focused advertising isn’t as big as what the Christmas focussed ads are in the west, it is one of the few pan-Indian festivals that drives consumption and hence sees a significant number of made-for-Deepavali ads,” says Arvind Krishnan, Founder & CEO, Manja.
His picks? The ‘Not just a Cadbury ad’ campaign and the ones from Amazon (Deliver the love) from the recent past.
“The Cadbury campaign broke a mould, and set the tone for many other brands to follow. It went beyond the category. Up until then, mass tech-enabled ideas were, almost always, for a younger audience, and primarily a bastion of the tech+entertainment sector. The Amazon films were just on point and captured the emotion of Deepavali, coming out of Covid, quite well,” he adds.
“The festive season has historically created the most memorable and impactful brand campaigns. We live in an era where competition transcends industry boundaries. Brands not only vie for attention within their category but also across diverse sectors. For instance, a washing machine brand doesn’t just compete with its peers; it competes with financial services promoting investments and loans, jewellery for celebrating festivals, real estate for auspicious beginnings, and more. While this presents opportunities, it also poses challenges, such as deciding which consumer segment to target and determining the digital platforms that yield sales performance,” notes Krishna Iyer, Director – Marketing, MullenLowe Lintas Group.
His favourite of all time is an ad from the Idea stable.
“In a narrative that resonates even today, a humble taxi driver discovers a forgotten mobile phone, symbolising a moment of choice between integrity and temptation. As the phone rings, the driver’s moral compass sways momentarily, but a passing taxi’s radiant headlights remind him of the goodness within. He reunites the phone with its owner, embodying the eternal battle of ‘Good vs Evil’ within us all. The message, “Apne andar ke Raavan ho jalana, ek achcha idea hai”, lights up the essence of Diwali —inner transformation. The visual journey embodies the true festive spirit, culminating in a heartwarming reunion with his family, portraying the timeless values of honesty and love,” explains Iyer.
The Larger Good
Lloyd Mathias, Angel Investor and Business Strategist, underlines that a lot of brands are conscious that it is a big purchase period, starting from September with the Navaratras followed by Dussehra, Diwali, Christmas and New Year.
His pick among the most memorable Diwali campaigns of all time, includes the Cadbury-Shahrukh Khan ‘Not just a Cadbury ad’.
“It actually helped every retailer create their own ad. That was unique; thousands of retailers around the country got Shahrukh in their own ad with their own shop name. It gave a great Diwali and witnessed mass participation. Another classic ad is ‘Har Ghar Kuch Kehta Hai’ by Asian Paints. It (the house) was originally painted around Diwali; now they have the modern version of the campaign. I believe these two have stood out as really outstanding ads that have stood the test of time,” he adds.
“It is a festival of inclusivity, when people get together with friends, family… Any ad that can help multiply that feeling works. In that sense these ads worked fundamentally really well. This year, I haven’t found any great campaigns,” he notes.
Not everyone is moved by emotional festive advertising. Sridhar Ramanujam, Founder and CEO, Integrated Brand-Comm, underlines pragmatically that a lot of ads are being released in newspapers, not so much on TV, perhaps because of (media) discounts and topicality. He points to the Amazon and Flipkart sales backed by big advertising, reminding us that it’s a time when people have money and they are willing to spend. “There is so much clutter as everybody is spending at the same time,” he notes.
That’s precisely why it’s a good time for brands to strive a little extra and stand out during the festive season, remind others.
Nothing brings India together like festivals, emphasises Sujata Biswas, Co-founder of fresh design house Suta.
“Diwali, especially, sees brands reaching out to customers in new and innovative ways. What also makes this season special, from an advertising context, is that there are so many dimensions to it – it’s a season of giving, of sharing, of togetherness, of celebrations, of nostalgia and, also of meaningful change. Festivals also bring us back to our cultural roots and give us a much-needed pause in our modern-day hectic lifestyles,” she adds
Her pick too is the Cadbury work that empowers small businesses – with good reason.
“We prioritise building a sense of community with fellow entrepreneurs and create an ecosystem where information and support flows freely. For this reason, Cadbury Celebrations’ pan-India campaign that supports, showcases and highlights thousands of small business-owners really resonated with us. By promoting smaller, home-based businesses and offering them much-needed visibility, they reminded us all what this festival is truly all about – giving from the heart. India has so much talent tucked away in every little nook and corner. These are the hands and minds who strive to keep alive our artisanal roots, against all odds. And so, the #ThisAdIsMyStore campaign, which turns every Cadbury ad across all formats – including billboards, digital outdoors, mobile outdoors, online, print, and TV – into a shout-out for a neighbourhood ‘ghar ki dukaan’, is quite special and meaningful,” explains Biswas.
She has another favourite, one that moved many an ad watcher – HP’s ‘Iss Diwali, Thodi Si Jagah Bana Lo’ from 2022.
“It showcased how our indigenous artisanal crafts hold such special meaning during the festivities, as well as the struggles that traditional craftsmen face in bringing their work to customers,” she surmises.
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(Reporting by Riya Sethi and Neethu Mohan. Edited by Gokul Krishnamoorthy.)
