redBus, the online bus ticketing platform, has rolled out a marketing campaign, ahead of the festive season. In order to communicate and engage with its wide customer base, the online bus ticketing company roped in actor Allu Arjun, who is also the enterprise’s brand ambassador.
The campaign’s narrative connects with redBus’ broader messaging of ‘Apno ko, sapno ko kareeb laye’. It further deliberates on two major aspects of the bus seat reservation process that makes a huge difference to travellers – the option of selecting the desired seats, as well as the discounts on offer. The two 30-second ad-films were released as a ‘leak’ on fan pages of the actor on Instagram.
One of the two ad-films is set at a bus station in Indore and revolves around the protagonist, Arjun, who plays a second generation entrepreneur, with a vision to make it big and believes in providing for his employees to garner their loyalty and perseverance. Though employee welfare is a priority for him and he offers his employee the comfort of a luxury AC bus for work related travel, he is smart enough to also net a good discount while booking the seat on redBus- a win for both. This film highlights the benefits associated with booking a seat on redBus, for the discounts on offer. The film also actor Bharat Bhatia alongside Arjun.
The second ad-film is set at a bus station in Nashik and stars Allu Arjun in the lead, along with popular actor Girish Kulkarni in a supporting role. This film enunciates the pride and emotions associated with people and culture, as well as their dreams and aspirations and connects it with the option of seat selection on redBus. Allu Arjun plays the leader of a dhol tasha band. When a fellow traveler, played by Girish Kulkarni, complains about the dhol occupying space, Allu explains that their dhol is not “samaan” (luggage) but a symbol of “sammaan” (pride). The film also elaborates on the seat selection feature offered by redBus. Viewers also witness the route of the bus – ‘Nashik to Pune’, emphasizing the fact that redBus undertakes bookings on short routes.
Thus, the first film highlights the aspect of savings, while booking on redBus and the second one focuses on the convenience of choosing a seat while booking, tying both narratives to the larger narrative of ‘Apno ko sapno ko kareeb laye’.
Arjun stated, “The ad films for redBus truly resonate with me at a personal level as they encapsulate the essence of bringing dreams closer by establishing a link between people and their aspirations. As an actor, I always seek roles that inspire, and these concepts have given me the opportunity to express myself by living the characters and I’m proud to be a part of this journey with redBus. I look forward to my fans as well as customers of redBus, viewing the films and hope to connect with them at an emotional level.”
Pallavi Chopra, chief marketing officer, at redBus stated, “These ad films represent a pivotal moment in redBus’ journey, as we focus on regions with immense growth potential. Our objective was not only to create captivating narratives, but also to connect with viewers emotionally. The ad-films showcase redBus not just as a ticketing platform, but as an enabler of dreams, aspirations, and cherished moments. We have strategically aligned cultural nuances and aspirations with the objective of engaging with a growing cohort of audiences that take pride in what they do, while also being conscious of their spends. Allu Arjun has done a fantastic job of leading the narratives and I’m sure the ad-films will resonate well with bus travellers.”
The ad-films will be released across television and digital media channels across states and regions, including, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat and Delhi among others, and will be showcased in Hindi, Marathi, Telugu, Gujarati, Bengali, Tamil, Kannada and Malayalam.