Mast or Meh: Knorr, Berger Paints, Lifebuoy - who faded fast and who painted joy?
Find out who made the cut and who got cut in Storyboard18’s weekly picks of the best and most boring ads.
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Every week, brands continue rolling out their spotlight moments to wow us - but let’s be real, not every attempt strikes gold. Some ads make us chuckle, spark a thought, or stick with us well beyond the ball drop, while others… should probably stay in drafts.
That’s where Storyboard18’s weekly ad reviews step in! We sift through the latest campaigns, calling out the ones that truly shine and those that miss the mark. With our straight-up, zero-fluff approach, you’ll get the real scoop on which ads are worth your attention. Dive into this week’s Mast & Meh to see which ads we gave a thumbs up and which weren’t even worth a yawn!
Mast
Brand: Knorr
Agency: Pepper Creative
Who knew marketing ramen could be this unhinged - and this effective? Knorr’s latest campaign featuring comedian Samay Raina is a wild ride that turns every rule of influencer marketing on its head - and comes out slurping hot with genius. Crafted by Pepper Creative, the ad hilariously chronicles a “brainstorm gone wrong,” where Raina tears up the script, spills tea on the product (literally), and turns a boardroom into a battleground of brand anxiety. The result? A campaign that doesn't even try to sell the noodles… and yet, sells the chaos perfectly.
Meh
Brand: Lifebuoy
Lifebuoy's latest campaign featuring Shah Rukh Khan is proof that even a King can’t save a soap from slipping on its own legacy. The familiar jingle got a remix, but instead of striking nostalgia or freshness, it feels like a forced groove on a soapbox. SRK joins a dance troupe mid-shoot, busting out signature moves to a reworked line that swaps “tandrusti” (good health) for “behtar twacha” (better skin). Cute rhyme, but a confusing rewrite. Lifebuoy has always stood for health - now suddenly it's gunning for skincare supremacy? Pick a lane.
Mast
Brand: Jeevansaathi
Agency: WLDD Private Limited
Jeevansathi.com’s latest ad doesn’t just reimagine history, it flips the script with wit and tech wizardry. Giving Mumtaz a voice (finally!), the brand uses AI to call out the age-old “build her a monument” trope and nails a modern dating truth: time > grand gestures. It's punchy, sharp, and refreshingly relevant. The line “I needed Shah Jahan’s time, not a monument” deserves its own standing ovation. Emotional storytelling meets tech in a way that doesn’t feel forced - and lands a bold message. Smart move, Jeevansathi.
Mast
Brand: Berger Paints
Agency: FCB Neo
Berger Paints hits a glossy home run with its latest Silk ad featuring Kareena Kapoor Khan strutting through her blindingly shiny home indoors, in Kala Chashma, no less. The concept is simple but slick: walls so glam, they practically demand sunglasses. The clever pairing of Bebo’s effortless sass with the product’s core benefit “high shine” works like a charm. It’s aspirational without taking itself too seriously, with a wink of humour and a burst of style.
Meh
Brand: MR.DIY
MR.DIY’s new campaign with Rajkummar Rao starts with a bang but fizzles into a pile of predictable retail clichés. “Milega Kya, Mat Pooch – MR.DIY Has SABKUCH” sounds more like a desperate shout from a flea market vendor than a confident brand promise. Rao, as a quirky reporter, tries his best to inject life into the script, but even his charm can’t cover up the ad’s lack of spark. The ad tries too hard to be everything at once - funny, emotional, informative - and ends up being none of them convincingly.
Mast
Brand: Oakley
Agency: Brandmovers India
Oakley swings for the future and scores with its new campaign ‘Artifacts from the Future’ starring India’s Test Captain, Shubman Gill. Set in a slick, sci-fi aesthetic, the ad brings 2075 tech into 2025 style, and it’s hard to look away. The campaign is fast, fresh, and fantastically forward-looking. Oakley isn’t just predicting the future - it’s designing it, and Shubman Gill is the perfect poster boy for that leap.
Meh
Brand: Blissclub
Blissclub’s latest campaign featuring Karisma Kapoor had the makings of a retro hit - but instead, it ends up jogging in place. Banking on 90s nostalgia and Karisma’s evergreen charm, the brand tries to stitch together a quirky moment where the actress refuses to return the clothes because they’re that comfortable. Cute idea, but weak execution. The behind-the-scenes gimmick feels overly staged, and the punchline "Minu, woh toh outfits le gayi, le gayi!" - tries too hard to be meme-worthy but barely lands.
