Tag: Throwback

Lesser-known facts about the “soon-to-retire” Air India Maharaja

After Amul's' ‘Girl’, Air India’s Maharajah stands as the most successful mascot of the Indian advertising for having entertained India with its cheeky one-liners. (Image source: Forbes India)

After Amul’s’ ‘Girl’, Air India’s Maharaja stands as the most successful mascot of Indian advertising for having entertained India for decades with his global adventures. Last year, the airline brand, whose operations were taken care of by the government, came under the wings of the Tata Group. But, in a few months, the airline will bid a permanent goodbye to the mascot which once represented royalty and hospitality.

Throwback: How the Incredible India ad campaign made a global splash

The Incredible India campaign was successful and has remained so since its launch. The Indian states and union territories were included in the programme, so that they promoted their region and culture, all under the aegis of this programme. (Stills from the ads)

The global tourism scenario took a hit as a result of 9/11 and its aftermath. The international tourism industry was largely stagnating, and India was no exception.

How Pan Parag was positioned as a social product (much like coffee)

Pan Parag attempted to appeal to an “Indian” audience with an “Indian” product. In the 1980s, dowry was freely discussed and denounced in equal proportion in the cultural context of that time. Pan Parag explored how it could gently oppose the giving and receiving of dowry, while using Pan Parag as an ice-breaker and social lubricant between two families. (Stills from the ad)

A look back at advertising that echoes social concerns: from “Ghabraye nahi, Hume khuch nahi chahiye” to “Badal Life ki Raftaar”.

Throwback: Raymond’s journey to ‘The Complete Man’

Each television commercial was an event or scene from ordinary life, largely without any dialogue or voiceover, except for the gentle melodious notes of the theme music. Some of the commercials were poignant, some warm and some just fun. Each advertisement showed various facets of a complete man. He did not flaunt, nor show off, he just was. (Stills from ads)

Raymond’s advertising is a great example of using self-concept in building a brand. The advertisements showed the quiet confidence of a man who wore Raymond’s. He embodied the very aspects of being a good human.

O&M and Eastman Kodak: How the Kodak KB 10 campaign deepened their association

After the commercial’s release, it received critical and commercial acclaim, and KB 10 was sold in millions in the first year of its launch. It changed the whole landscape of the photography market, distanced it from being an expert’s domain and made it available to the average user. (Still from the ad)

O&M released an ad on the Kodak KB 10 camera in the mid-1990s to educate consumers on the ease of photography the product offered. The commercial helped the brand sell in millions, and the ad etched itself a permanent place in the memory of those who watched it.

Gold Spot: When ‘The Zing Thing’ restored the brand’s lost market share

The commercials were rolled out on national TV broadcaster Doordarshan in both Hindi and English. The 1985 campaign was immensely popular and became one of the most successful for soft drinks by Rediffusion. The campaign helped Gold Spot make a grand comeback and restore its lost position in the market. A notable aspect of the series of commercials was that none of them featured celebrities. (Stills from the ads)

Can nostalgia help Gold Spot if it were to be brought back today, just as Campa was? Back in the 1980s, Gold Spot was perceived as a drink for children but after the arrival of Rasna, it started to lose market share. Storyboard18 got in touch with the creative folks who then successfully repositioned Gold Spot among teens.

Karram Kurram: The distinct Lijjat Papad advertising

The unique concept of puppetry, emotional connect of family, and a distinctive soundtrack made Lijjat Papad television commercial unique. The fluffy rabbit puppet found a pride of place on the Lijjat Papad packaging as well. (Stills from the ad)

For those who grew up watching the Lijjat Papad TV commercial, the image of the rabbit, his cackle, and the soundtrack still stand recognisable decades later.

Titan’s ‘The Wedding Film,’ the commercial that tugged at the heartstrings through the ‘joy of gifting’

‘The Wedding Film’ attained the status of ‘iconic’ without the presence of any celebrity or well-known face. The ad film's script writer makes his point here. If the agency had cast someone prominent, the advertisement would be remembered by his or her name. This would have distracted the audience from the theme of the commercial. Communicating the emotion of ‘The Wedding Film’ was far more important than featuring an established personality. (Stills from 'The Wedding Film')

The commercial, released in the mid-1990s, was like a breath of fresh air for its blend of Western music and Indian values. ‘The Wedding Film’, which stood out for its heartwarming storyline, conveyed its theme through the single word ‘Papa’.

Nerolac’s classic TV ad and jingle put the shine on the brand

“Jab Ghar ki raunak badhani ho, deewaroon ko jab sajana ho…”: Vishwajeet composed the music and sang the jingle for Nerolac's iconic campaign. He was an up-coming singer, who used to sing for Kalyanji Anandji in their shows as a substitute for Kishore Kumar. The Nerolac commercial bestowed Vishwajeet with fame, being introduced as the Nerolac singer.

Enter the colourful world of paints with Nerolac’s classic TV ad and the strategy behind it.

Doodh, doodh, doodh: NDDB’s milk campaign was a glassful of surprise

Under the leadership of Dr. Kurien, Operation Flood was launched in 1970 to form a nation-wide milk grid connecting milk producers and customers. This was to increase milk production and regulate variations in prices. Sustaining the appeal of milk as a drink was vital in this effort. (Image: Representative image via Unsplash)

Dr Verghese Kurien of NDDB gave FCB Ulka a simple brief – to create advertising that made milk relevant.