Remember Lalitaji in Surf Excel commercials, the Nirma and Hamara Bajaj jingles of the 70s or the Liril girl who swept her way into the nation’s consciousness with her electrifying smile? Here we ask some creative leaders to talk about the iconic ads they would like to recreate.
‘Classic Old Spice ad defined the idea of masculinity’
By Tarun Jha, CEO, Havas Worldwide India
When you’re growing up, some seemingly innocuous things leave a lasting memory that even the ravages of time cannot wash away. For teenage me, the classic Old Spice ad was one that stands out as a key moment in time in my coming-of-age journey. The impact of the rousing ‘O Fortuna’ orchestral score contrasted with the sea-salt—crisp visuals of a young man surfboarding cannot be denied. The calling card for that ad was the unanimous hold it had on young people.
If I were to recreate it for modern times, I would retain the voiceover and the grandiose background score but juxtapose it with imagery that reflects contemporary ideas of masculinity that is perhaps not as heavy-handed on the push for physical prowess. To me, Old Spice as a product and as a brand is both timeless and enduring, and therefore, the recreation would not deviate completely from the narrative that they have laid down so effectively over the years. The superposition of the traditional ‘O Fortuna’ with imagery of contemporary masculinity would drive home the nuances of what makes a modern man, a man.
‘Bajaj scooter’s patriotic ad elicits goosebumps… still’
By Amit Wadhwa CEO, Dentsu Creative India
There were quite a few iconic advertisements that truly made me fall in love with my profession (even more). Some of them, I wish I could have been a part of so badly. For me, the top three that come to mind right now are the Fevikwik Fishing, the Dhara Jalebi Boy, and the Bajaj ‘Badal Rahe Hain Hum Yahan.’ They all have a unique flavor of humour, cute emotion, and high-octane patriotism that would make anyone fall in love.
Let me talk about the Bajaj one just to relive those goosebumps I had when I first saw this ad at Regal Mumbai. I liked how it depicted a changing India while still holding on to its traditions.
I feel like the track, the context, and most of the execution are still very relevant today. If I had to recreate it, I would certainly add some cooler-looking current-generation faces — more women, for sure (especially in the group shots). Possibly a new, peppy track sung by Shankar and Siddharth Mahadevan, almost signifying a generation shift through the story. However, I still love that ad as it is.
‘Bajaj Bulbs highlights power of creativity’
By Amit Akali, co-founder and CCO, Wondrlab
The old, iconic ad I would love to bring back and recreate for the consumer is the Bajaj Bulbs’ Jab Mein Chota Baccha Tha ad. I just loved it. And it wasn’t an ad that was part of popular culture. Rather it was a part of my life and it was a song I grew up listening to since I was 13. This was a song I knew by heart and sang often at ‘antakshiri’ though very badly, I must confess!
The ad, all the way back from 1987, stayed with me not just because of the catchy jingle but also because of the simplicity and creativity of the idea. It showed the lifetime of a man, from the time he was a child until he reached old age. The last line, “Ab mein bilkul bhooda hoon, goli khake jeeta hoon, lekin aaj bhi ghar ke andhar…. roshni ho toh Bajaj.” I was lucky to meet, work and partner with the creator of the ad, Mukul Uppadhyaya, who was actually the marketing head of the brand when he wrote the jingle. The agency didn’t write the jingle, and that itself is amazing, because it reminds us that creativity comes from anywhere, much like we see today.
If I had to rewrite the ad, I wouldn’t change a word in the jingle! Every word is still relevant. However, keeping today’s changing world in mind, we could probably have a couple from the LGBTQ community growing old together instead of the same duo that was shown in the original film. Having said that, the ad would still work even if nothing was changed. A couple staying together for so many years in today’s day and age would be inspirational.
‘Binnies ad depicted liberalisation journey’
By Aditya Kanthy, CEO and MD, DDB Mudra Group
According to me, ‘Humko Binnies Mangta’ for Binnies Chips created by Mudra in the 1980s is very memorable. The reason it’s my top pick is one thing —freedom. The jingle epitomised the coming of age of our own voice, Hinglish. Humko Binnies Mangta carried with it a symbolic openness to global influences, coinciding with the nation’s journey into liberalisation, all the while retaining its Indian identity in an emerging narrative.
If I had to recreate it, I would give it a contemporary rendition of the jingle going viral on reels and shorts, encouraging everyone to give it their own personal touch.
‘Exaggerated humour made Fevicol unique’
By Vishal Chinchankar CEO, Madison Digital & Madison Media Alpha
An ad that I would like to recreate for today’s consumer is Fevicol – Chutki mein Chipkaaye. In a B2B category, perceived to be boring and irrelevant for the end consumer, the brand used consumer insights and often exaggerated humor to create a unique space for itself. If I had to recreate it? The concept of ‘bonding’ can be looked at with a modern perspective. For example, relationships today are fragile. However, the brand can take a stand of “power of bonding”. This holds true of not only products but also relationships (and this can have a funny take keeping in mind the brand’s original tonality).