In a world full of brooding ad campaigns and tear-jerking sentimentality, Happydent has decided to… smile back. And not just any smile- a sparkly, Bollywood-backed, socially-conscious, red-paint-wielding kind of smile.
The iconic chewing gum brand from Perfetti Van Melle India is back with a new campaign that lives up to its glittering legacy “Chamking Gum: Chamka Muskaan, Jagmag Jahaan” — bringing cinematic storytelling, visual punch, and a clever jab at public littering, all wrapped in signature Happydent quirk.
The Cast: Smiles, Paint, and Protest
The new film, conceptualised by McCann Worldgroup India, opens with a street performance led by a bunch of cheerful rebels armed with… red paint and great dental hygiene. Their mission? To highlight the messy reality of public littering, using beaming smiles and bright-red paint to mark the culprits — quite literally. It’s clean fun with a dirty problem, flipped on its head.
The Crew: Joshi, Moitra, and the Magic Formula
At the heart of the campaign is a powerhouse creative duo: Prasoon Joshi, who not only penned the lyrics but lent his voice to the background score, and Shantanu Moitra, who set it all to music. The result is a catchy, whimsical track that gives the entire narrative a joyful bounce — less sermon, more street theatre with a beat.
Nostalgia Meets Now
True to its DNA, the campaign channels the brand’s golden-age ads — who can forget the human chandelier from the Palace ad or the smile-powered flash in Photographer? But this time, it adds a modern twist: a subtle social message, Gen Z-friendly aesthetics, and a storyline that blends street performance with social commentary.
“Happydent isn’t just selling gum. It’s selling optimism — one blinding smile at a time,” the campaign seems to say.
The Bigger Bite
With the new campaign, Happydent is positioning itself at the intersection of purpose and play — offering not just a mouth-freshener, but a mouthpiece (pun intended) for cleaner cities and brighter attitudes. And in a marketing landscape chasing reels, trends, and trauma-based storytelling, this one takes the road less garbage-strewn.
Gunjan Khetan, Marketing Director, Perfetti Van Melle India, added “Happydent has always believed in the power of imaginative storytelling—narratives that don’t just entertain, but connect. This campaign celebrates the sparkling smile as a symbol of imagination, expression and meaning. ‘Chamka Muskaan, Jagmag Jahaan’ isn’t just a tagline—it’s the spirit of the brand and the times we live in. As we engage with Gen Z and modern audiences, we’re proud to create stories that reflect purpose and emotional resonance with visual brilliance.”
Prasoon Joshi – Chief Creative Officer & CEO McCann Worldgroup India said: ‘Writing for Happydent has always been close to my heart. But this project would not have been possible without the unwavering trust and collaborative spirit of the Perfetti team. Special acknowledgment goes to Nikhil and his belief in bold ideas. Along with Gunjan who gave us the creative freedom we needed to soar. They have kept the legacy of visionaries like Sameer Suneja who redefined Perfetti’s advertising. The day I met Vinil for this project I knew he would be the right person to give life to this idea and script. He has an exceptional eye for craft and storytelling, and it shines through in every frame. A shout out to my wonderful team at McCann Utsav, Gaurav, Jeet, Abhishek and my old partner in melody, Shantanu”. The new Happydent commercial is a film that isn’t just another commercial—it’s a reminder of what advertising can be when it dares to dream, laugh, and feel.