Most ads are forgettable, while some manage to rise above the noise. The reason is simple: They hold attention through powerful storytelling backed by compelling performance. Whether it’s normalising widow re-marriage, accepting sexual democratisation, fostering gender equality or lobbying for racial exclusivity, these ads have led by example. They don’t just aim for the consumer’s pocket, but also their heart, making 30 seconds of air time worth your while. These tiny capsules of entertainment offer much more than momentary amusement. Ads are bridges that keep us connected to the realities of the world. Here’s looking at some of the most captivating commercials.
Myntra The Visit Myntra’s 2016 queer-led ad for one of its new clothing lines, ruffled a few features while becoming a rage with the rest. The three-minute, 22-second ad challenged clichés about homosexuality. The story made emotional inroads immediately and was remembered as one of the best portrayals of the subject. The refined sensibility with which it was made and the subtlety with which it was portrayed, makes it a prototype for future presentations surrounding the matter.
Kaun Banega Crorepati Kohima
The ad took the bull by the horns in the way it exposed the ugly face of racism in India. The compelling screenplay voiced the issue of ethnic discrimination slowly and thoughtfully allowing people to assimilate the gravity of the situation. We’re all to be blamed, including those who chose to stay silent on the matter. The ad made us re-think our positions on ethnic prejudices.
Ariel #ShareTheLoad
A father watches his daughter come back from a long tiring day at work and immediately start tending to household chores. She cooks, cleans, and takes care of the child while juggling official calls and mails. The husband doesn’t move from his couch all this while. This makes the father introspect about skewed socialisation of gender roles. He finds himself to be the perpetrator too. He never helped his wife, he realises, and that’s where it began to go wrong. Household responsibilities are not women’s prerogative. It’s a duty to be shared by men too.
Tanishq Jewelers The Double Knot
When one of India’s biggest jewellery brands, Tanishq, decided to tear down biases surrounding widow re-marriage, in addition to joggling cultural stereotypes surrounding skin-colour in India, it took a big risk. In the end, it paved the path for several other brands to fill their hollow scripts with socially relevant themes that challenged status quo and think better than their conditioning.
Dabur Vatika Salute to Female Cancer Survivors
The mellifluous melody of Tu faulad, Tu phool by singer-composer Salim Merchant, sets the tone for this concept-driven advertisement. It mocks at the hackneyed notion of hair as feminine identity. A cancer survivor feels awkward about re-joining her workplace, at first, because she feels she may look unattractive with no hair. But her husband and kind colleagues inspire confidence back reiterating that she’s as beautiful without hair. The ad immediately resonated with people for its relatable subject line. Women, who have indulged in self-deprecating behaviour internalising narrow notions of beauty, began looking themselves differently after the telecast of this ad.
Nestlé Good Food, Good Life
In three minutes four seconds, this Nestlé ad from 2014 talks about an adoption-related adjustment. You see a kid consumed by jealousy and insecurity at first but later he begins to form an adorable bond with his adopted sister. The message is clear: Adoption is moving up to speed in India. The performance of the two kids is seeped in innocent emotions surrounding the subject matter, making the ad effective and memorable.