On India’s 79th Independence Day, creative leaders revisit some iconic campaigns that shattered conventions and changed the way consumers think of a brand or category.
Creating work that’s not just seen, but felt
Anupama Ramaswamy, Joint MD & CCO, Havas Creative India
Looking back at advertising in India over the years, there are five incredible ads that come to mind.
Tata Tea – Jaago Re (2008): This wasn’t about selling tea, it was about awakening a nation. From voting awareness to gender parity, it turned a daily ritual into a moment of social consciousness.
Bajaj Avenger – Feel Like God (2005): This campaign quietly redefined masculinity. In a category obsessed with aggression, Bajaj Avenger introduced a calmer, more introspective rider who didn’t shout, but simply felt like God. It was cool without trying.
Google India – Reunion (2013): A moving tale of childhood friends separated by the partition and reunited decades later, thanks to Google Search. The emotion was universal.
SBI Life – Heere Ko Kya Pata (2011): An elderly man gifts his wife a diamond on Valentine’s Day. She smiles and asks, “Is this the age to wear a diamond?” He replies gently: “Heere ko kya pata tumhari umar?” In my head, it is the most iconic line written in Indian advertising.
Liril – The Waterfall Girl (1975): The Liril ad didn’t just break norms in the 1970s, it shattered them. A woman in a bikini, fearless and free, dancing under a waterfall, wasn’t just a visual, it was a statement. She claimed the screen with joy, agency, and zero apologies. For today’s creatives, it’s a challenge. Don’t play it safe. Create work that’s not just seen, but felt and remembered.
Sparking memes and capturing imaginations
Vishnu Srivatsav, National creative head, 22feet Tribal Worldwide
This year, we created a campaign for Krafton that celebrated the real-life love story of two Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI) players with India’s Biggest In-Game Wedding (2025). For most, BGMI is a battlefield. A high-octane game of guns, glory, and the coveted chicken dinner. But it is a vibrant community; a space where countless players meet and build relationships that often transcend the screen. This wedding was a powerful reminder of how gaming today is about human connection.
Looking back, over the years, Indian advertising had always shone. There are two special ones that come to mind. The first is from the 1980s Ramayan era, back when TV was a special event. This was a magical time when ads came on to seduce you. Among these was an oral meme, before anyone knew what a meme was. Archana Joglekar looks at the camera and says with true intent and furious anger: “Shadi aur tumse? Kabhi nahi”. But then she pops the product, and something happens. Her demeanour shifts but her intent doesn’t. She says with immaculate sweetness: Shaadi aur tumse? Kabhi nahi”. It was an ad (for Pan Pasand) that was the harbinger of quirk. A masterpiece in its own right.
The second is from 2002, when everyone was showing off their new Nokia. But then came a mobile network brand, Hutch that told a simple story with a simpler metaphor. A dog following a boy around what looked like Goa. The notion of a mobile network ad without featuring a mobile or a network was quite unheard of. But it captured imaginations.
Blending perfectly with Indian sensibilities
Lloyd Mathias, Independent director & angel investor
When we talk about iconic Indian campaigns, a few instantly stand out for how they speak to us and stay with us. Of recent ads, Swiggy’s advertising campaign using cricket as a theme and featuring Harsha Bhogle (2024) is wonderful. It is a witty and relatable approach, often incorporating cricket commentary to highlight the brand’s delivery services. These ads, frequently launched during the IPL and the cricket season, showcase how Swiggy can deliver food to customers while they enjoy the game, emphasising convenience and speed.
Asian Paints’ “Har Ghar Kuch Kehta Hai” (2002) is a true classic. It speaks to middle-class India and carries with it warm memories for generations. It blends beautifully with Indian sensibilities and has stood the test of time. Even today, “Har ghar kuch kehta hai” feels as relevant and evocative as ever — a line that is truly evergreen, capable of sparking nostalgia while still resonating with new audiences.
And then there’s Amul, which over the last couple of decades has become the voice of India.
The way they have done all their campaigns, making them witty, topical, and timely, has made them part of our collective conversation. All these campaigns are based in deep consumer insight and reflect Indian sensibilities in an endearing manner thereby building emotional connect.
Advertising that made history
Moumita Pal, national creative director, Dentsu Creative Webchutney
Some ads speak to us, but the great ones become part of our personal history. Hamara Bajaj and Lijjat Papad were two campaigns that stood out not just for what they sold, but for what they said about us as a nation. In the 1980s, ‘Buland Bharat ki Buland Tasveer – Hamara Bajaj’ redefined Indian advertising. Instead of numbers, Bajaj spoke to its audience in a language that a young, recently independent India needed. By linking a scooter to the optimism of nation-building and our collective identity it became a brand that fostered belonging. That made it powerful.
Lijjat Papad’s bunny mascot, which was born in the late 1970s, was equally radical. At a time when big brands spent big budgets, a women’s co-operative with a shoestring budget used a simple puppet and jingle to win the country’s heart. It proved you didn’t need scale to be unforgettable but rather an idea with personality that made people welcome the brand into their homes.
What can today’s creatives learn from these? Budgets, production, and tech will change, but the core remains. Tell stories that people see themselves in, or create characters they want in their lives. Because that’s when the work won’t just break through, but it will also reshape the grammar of advertising.
Great ideas that stood the test of time
Samar Yerapale, Creative director – art, TheSmallBigIdea
I bet all of us have heard and sung along to two unforgettable jingles: Bajaj’s ‘Hamara Bajaj’ and the Vicks Cough Drops ‘Vicks ki goli lo, khich khich door karo.’ Both showed how advertising could connect deeply with people, balancing intelligence with emotion.
‘Hamara Bajaj’ was more than a scooter ad. It painted a picture of everyday India, set to the refrain ‘Buland Bharat ki Buland Tasveer’ and became a symbol of unity and aspiration. Vicks Cough Drops used a simple, catchy promise to introduce a new product. The warmth of its message made it instantly connect with households across India.
Both these campaigns nailed the holy trinity of brand craft: a clear message, memory through melody, and meaning that touched culture. They also remind us of something we tend to forget today. Back then, there was no algorithm pushing the work. If your idea didn’t carry enough truth to be talked about, sung, and remembered, it simply died. Which is why these still live on.
In the 1980s, advertising leaned heavily on long copy, detailing features, and specifications, with emotion taking a back seat. Today, punchy headlines dominate, built on emotional storytelling, lifestyle appeal, and cultural relevance. The mediums may have multiplied since then, but the heartbeat of a great idea hasn’t changed. And that’s what every creative, old or new, needs to keep chasing.